Taking Chances
by Becarefulwhatuwish4
Summary: Lissa just told me the world was ending. Well, not really. But she had told me she was coming. And where she went, he went too. And I don't think I can handle seeing him again. Rose has a plan. A plan that could go perfectly, or horribly wrong. mostly T
1. Preface

**I don't know why, but I feel like writing this.**

**Prologue**

Lissa just told me the world was ending. Well… not really. But she had told me _she_ was coming. And where _she_ went, _he_ went too. And I don't think I can handle seeing him again. He left with her 4 months ago. He left me 4 months ago. And we hadn't spoken since he told me he was leaving. We didn't say goodbye to each other. We didn't want to.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lissa. Lissa didn't know. Lissa didn't get it. But I couldn't tell her. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I just couldn't. So I went to the only other person on campus who new. Adrian. He opened the door just as the tears started to leak out of my eyes. He pulled the door open and ushered me inside. "So you heard the news." He said, and I nodded. I was sobbing now. And he held me while I cried. Love, I realized is like walking on a path that's covered in ice. If you have it, you can manage not to slip because you're holding someone's hand, but if you don't, you just land on your ass. He can't see this" He ""

* * *

"Rose are you ok?" He asked me again. I sat on his bed, curled into a little ball.

"Do I look like I'm ok Adrian?" I snapped.

"Well no. But you do look incredibly sexy sitting on my bed." I chucked his pillow at him.

"What the hell am I going to do? I'm a wreck! He can't see me like this."

"You make him jealous." He smiled an evil smile. "If you two were 'so in love'" he says this with heavy sarcasm. "It would bother him if you just moved on."

"Like it bother's me?"

He nod's "Exactly. You pretend you've moved on, and he won't be able to stand it."

"Adrian?"

"Yes."

"That's the best idea I've heard in a long time."

"So you're going through with this?"

"I guess."

"Well if your looking for a fake boyfriend…" He started.

"No, Adrian I couldn't let you do that for me. It would hurt you too much, because its not real."

"I'm fine with setting myself up for misery." He sat next to me and brushed hair out of my face. "Rose I love you enough to do this to help you. And who knows? Maybe you'll learn I'm not as bad as I seem."

"Thank you Adrian. Thank you so much." I kissed him quickly on the cheek, and he pulled me into a tight hug.

"But this is only a show remember?" I emphasize. "So don't try to get yourself hurt."

"I am perfectly able to do this." He pulled away from me. "Lets go tell our friends the good news." He grabbed my hand and pulled me up off the bed. He pulled me towards him as he wiped the mascara out from under my eyes, and fixed my hair. "Perfect." He kissed my forehead. We walked down the hallway, hand in hand, acting like the perfect couple he wanted us to be.

We crossed campus to Lissa's dorm, where she, Christian, Eddie, and a few other people sat in a lounge watching a movie. We walked into the room, and at first, none of them noticed me. Adrian sat down on the only free seat, and I sat in his lap. Lissa looked our way, and with a confused look, she waved "Hey Rose…" She looked at who was under me. "Adrian?" She sounded shocked. Good.

"Rose." She hissed. _What's going on?_

"Adrian and I are dating." I whispered to her.

_What? When did this happen? WHEN?_

"Ummmm….. like 10 minutes ago."

_I thought you hated him._

"Nope. Totally in love." I inserted a slight amount of sarcasm. Which she didn't detect.

_You're kidding._

"Nope."

I turned toward Adrian. Come on Rose, make it believeable. And I kissed his lips. He kissed me back. Aw come on Rose. You just had to do it.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Lissa practically screamed.

Oh great. Now everyone saw us practically making out. Lord, if you're up there, please have mercy on my soul.

"Woah! Rose and Adrian!" Christian whistled.

"Shut up fire boy." I said as I pulled away from Adrian. He was grinning.

* * *

I pulled up my covers and lay my head on the pillow, spreading my hair out around me.

I slipped quickly into one of Adrian's dreams.

"Hello Little Dhampir." He said. We were on a beach. I was laying on a red towel, wearing my navy bikini.

"Hey Adrian."

He was lying next to me on a white towel. "Quite a kiss." He commented.

"It wasn't anything."

He moved a little closer to me. "Adrian. I thought we talked about this." I knew this would happen.

"We did Rose. This is how I would act even without what happened today." He paused. "And might I add you look wonderful."

I smiled, shook my head, and changed the subject. "I wanted to thank you for your idea and what you're doing to help me."

"It's no big deal. But I can think of some ways you might want to thank me."

I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Adrian. Thank you so much."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Adrian?"

"Yes?"

"What are we doing tonight?" I looked at him from my perch on the back of the sofa in the lounge. Lissa sat under me on the cushions, and Christian lounged out next to her.

"Lissa's having movie night in her room." Christian mumbled, he was half asleep.

"Did I ask you, flames for brains?"

"We can go to Lissa's." Adrian said. "Or we can go to my place."

"I choose the second option." I looked at Liss. "Sorry Liss."

"Saw it coming." She said, her eyes on Christian. _Have fuuunnnn…. _She thought to me.

Adrian grabbed my hand and pulled me off the couch. We turned into the hallway, hand in hand. "You up for a Rock Band tournament?" He asked.

"Hell yeah."

We sprinted off towards his room.

* * *

"Who knew you were so good at Rock Band?" I asked Adrian the next morning as we walked to breakfast. Tasha and Dimitri were coming today, so Adrian and I were staying together all the time. I had to admit though, I was enjoying my time with Adrian. We had a lot of fun together, and it was good to have a friend who knew everything and could distract me. Not to say that Lissa couldn't, but spending time with Adrian was just… different.

"When you don't have anything to do other than get drunk like me, you find yourself playing videogames a lot." He answered.

I laughed as I grabbed a chocolate frosted doughnut from the box. We sat down at our table and quickly fell into the conversation. "Did you hear?" Lissa was asking Eddie.

"What?" Eddie and I both asked at the same time.

"Tasha and Gaurdian Belikov will be here around three!" She squealed. "And Tasha's taking us all top the mall!" Of course. Lissa would only get this excited over shopping.

"Great. I saw this really cute dress the other day." I said.

"The dark blue short one we saw on that website the other day?"

"Yeah!"

"It'll look great on you."

"I'm sure it will." Adrian said, squeezing my hand under the table.

* * *

Adrian sat in the bleachers on the side of the gym as I staked and kicked practice dummies. "Really Adrian." Stab. "You." Kick. "Don't" Stab. "Have to stay." Kick. "And watch me do this."

"No. I'm good. You look incredibly hot doing that."

I grinned at him. "Well of course I do. I'm Rose Hathaway."

I concentrated on the dummies again. Once I was done, I decided meet up at the feeders at two so I could shower and change.

I stripped out of my tank top and shorts and got in the hot shower. I thought about the recent events in my life. Adrian's plan had gone well so far, but it was only step one. Step two was the hard part, when Tasha and Dimitri got here. I used to think Adrian was just trying to take advantage of me, but the more I got to know him, the more I realized that he might actually like me for me.

I stepped out of the shower and slipped on a pair of dark wash jeans and red tee-shirt. I ran out to the feeders, and got there just as Adrian was finishing. "Hey hot stuff." I said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Hey equally hot stuff." We started off towards Lissa's dorm before I stopped dead. Just in the distance, I could see a plane about to land on our airstrip. I realized there was only one plane coming in today, and guess who was on it? Just my luck, they were early.

I sprinted off towards the commons, dragging Adrian along with me. "They're here." I whispered in his ear just before we got to Lissa's room. I knocked on the door and opened it. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything." I said as I walked in. Good thing I wasn't. I'd had way to many of those nights when I couldn't sleep because of them. Adrian and I sat to watch the end of the TV episode they were watching.

About twenty minutes later, there was a light knock on the door. "Lissa honey?" A soft voice called. I moved a little closer to Adrian. "It's Tasha." A little closer. "Can I come in?"


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Lissa honey? It's Tasha. Can I come in?"

Lissa practically flew out of her seat. "Oh my gosh! Tasha!" She hugged her and Tasha hugged Christian. Lissa invited her in, and Dimitri stepped in after her. His eys scanned the room, from Christian and Lissa talking to Tasha warmly to Adrians arm around my shoulders while sitting on Lissa's bed. Oh god. He looked good. REALLY good. The feelings I'd tried to block out for him crashed back all at once, and all the love I had for him filled me up. No. Rose. He doesn't love you. I said to myself.

_What's wrong Rose? You look all tense… _Lissa asked through the bond.

"It's nothing." I sad quickly. Adrian gave me a weird look. "Lissa." I murmered.

"I have to go to the feeders." Lissa announced. "Rose?" I looked up. "Will you come with me?"

"Sure." I started to get up, but then remembered Adiran's plan. I kissed him lightly on the lips. "My place? Eight?" I said just loud enough for Dimitri to hear.

"Great. See you then."

I got up and Lissa pulled me along.

"Oh, hey Gaurdian Belikov."

* * *

"Hey Adrian!" I said as he came in. Lissa sat next to me. I rolled the dice and threw them down onto the monopoly board. Now normally, I don't like playing board games. They are reserved for when I get bored, hence the name: board games. "I told Lissa she could stay." He nodded and sat down next to me.

"So what would you say to going somewhere for the rest of spring break?" He said suddenly. I handed Lissa her monopoly money to pay rent. ( **A/N: Oh, sorry I didn't explain this before, but they're on spring break for 2 weeks. So it's like April…**)

"I would say YES!" I answered.

"She would say hell yes." Lissa answered at the same time.

"Good. We leave for Miami tomorrow afternoon."

"Oooo! We're going to the beach!"

He kissed me on the forehead, keeping up the charade. "Hey Liss, you, Christian, and Tasha can come too." Oh great. ADRIAN!

"Great!" Lissa popped up. I'll go ask them!" She skipped out.

"ADRIAN WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"

"What?"

"You invited her?"

"Well… yeah." He answered. "Oh. Probably not the best idea…"

"That occurs to you NOW?" I was screaming now.

We were both standing now, And my legs were against the end of my bed. And all of the sudden I was laying on the bed with Adrian on top of me tickling me. Oh god, how did Adrian know I was so ticklish? "Oh god! Adrian stop!" I managed to get out between giggles.

"Nope!" He said, pinning me down with his free hand and his knees. "Not until you say how awesome I am for coming up with such a great plan and carrying it through so well."

"No!" I managed to get out from under him, so I pinned him down this time. "Ha!" I rolled to the side, and both of our heads were hanging off the end of the bed. "You know Adrian? I'm really liking spending time with you. You're not my first choice, but I can handle it." He started tikling me again. Come on Rose. You're almost a guardian, and you're weakened by Adrian tickling you?

"Fine! You're awesome! And really smart!"

"Good choice." Adrian said, lying back down and closing his eyes.

And we fell asleep there, hand in hand, handing upside down off my bed.

* * *

"Ah my gosh! We're going to Miami!" Lissa squealed!

"Yeah! We're going to have so much fun!"

"And Christian, Tasha, and Dimitri are coming too!"

"They have to be sending more gaurdains with us…"

"We're bringing Eddie and some other guardian." She told me.

"And Adrian got us a private plane!" I added.

"Yeah." She said… she got quiet. "I thought you hated Adrian…"

"I never hated him. He just used to get on my nerves." Damn. She was catching on… "But I've realized that when you really care about someone, pretty much anything can happen." She new that.

And it was true. I never had hated him. He was always good to me. Never did anything bad to me.

"So Miami. Tonight. I need to pack." I said, breaking the silence. She picked up my bag, and helped me pack my things. We fell back into comfortable conversation.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4

* * *

**

"We're LEAVING!" Lissa called from down the hall. I pulled my toothbrush out of my mouth and ran a brush through my ahir.

"COMING!" I screamed as I quickly shoved my feet into my pink converse and pulled on a sweatshirt over my tank top. I grabbed my leather messenger bag and reached for my sunglasses. Putting my aviators on top of my head, I scanned the room to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything essential. Nope, well if I did forgot something I'd just have to borrow Lissa's.

Lissa stood at the end of the hallway, tapping her foot. "Come on Rose! We're already late!" She grabbed my hand and pushed me through the door and down the stairs. Adrian met us at the door to the dorms.

He took my bag and kissed my cheek. "Good morning beautiful." He nodded at Lissa. "Morning Liss." He grabbed my hand and pulled me closer.

She smiled at him. "If you two are going to go all PDA on me, I'll just go meet up with Christian." She skipped off towards the airstrip, happy as usual.

Adrian put a lazy arm around me. "So Rose, we going through with this plan."

"If we weren't would you still have that arm?" I asked him.

"True." We finally got to the airplane, where Lissa, Christian, Eddie, Tasha, and Dimitri were all talking.

"Wait, Adrian, who else are they sending with us?"

He shook his head. "No one. I convinced then Tasha can take care of herself if we get into any trouble. And plus the 'airplane isn't big enough' trick always works." He winked, and I knew he had used compulsion on Kirova. "Oh i't won't do any harm. I just wanted to see how far I could get her to go."

I laughed. "You worry me Adrian." I said and I pulled his lips to mine.

Over Adrian's shoulder, I could see Dimitri stiffen at the sight of us. "Come on everyone!" Lissa suddenly called. "Time to get on the plane!" I broke away from Adrian to pull him onto the plane. I passed everyone, and Adrian and I took the back two seats.

* * *

"Mmm… Adrian…" He kissed me again. "Oh god. Adrian. Stop already!" He had been overdoing it this whole plane ride. Really, he was enjoying this _way_ too much. "I'm going to take a nap."

I lay my head on the pillow and pulled my knees up on the sea. Finally… I get a break from Adrian. I mean he's great and all, but he takes this way to seriously.

"Little Dhampir!" We were in his grandmother's garden. "Long time no see."

"Adrian! I fell asleep to get a break from you."

"Too bad. You're gonna have to deal."

"UGH!"I stomped off towards the little house, in hopes of finding a bed. I opened the door, but apparently, it wasn't a house. Or at least, the first floor wasn't. It was an one of those weird indoor pools that don't have and ledge, so whenever someone gets in all the water comes out. I stepped forward slightly, and felt the sole of my shoe sink into a little bit of water. Tugging them off, I looked down at what I was wearing (jean shorts and a black eyed peas tee-shirt), then ran forward and did a cannonball into the pool. And man, was it warm in here! Like a hot tub, only like 20 times bigger. I surfaced and looked around. Adrian was in the doorway, soaked.

"Oh. My. God." He said. Slowly, he stepped closer to the edge of the pool, kicking off his shoes. "You are going to regret that." And he jumped in after me. See, I tried to swim away, but he jumped out really far, so he was at me before I could swim away, pulling me under the water. He pulled me down, a sadistic smile on his face.

I hadn't held my breath, so I was quickly running out of air, and maybe in this dreamland, Adrian didn't need air, but anyway, I needed to get to the surface, soon. So I did what I always did when I wanted something of Adrian, I put on my man eating smile, and pulled his face up to mine, and kissed him so passionately he would forget his own name.

One… Two… Three Seconds before he released his grip on me. _Yes_, I thought to myself, _Victory_. I pulled my head above the surface and breathed in a breath of air. I could feel myself slipping from the dream.

I woke up.

"Adrian Ivashkov!" I almost screamed. "How dare you almost drown me!" Adrian opened his eyes and smiled a sheepish grin.

"Yeah… Sorry bout that. But that kiss… wow, you outdid yourself."

"Oh be quiet." I looked straight forward to see Dimitri turning around in his seat to see what was up. Oh god. He can't think we're having a fight… Adrian and I have to be the perfect couple. "You know what?" I said quickly, turning back to Adrian. "I forgive you." I move over so I'm sitting in Adrian's lap, my knees on either side of him, my back to Dimitri.

He understood. He pulled me closer, and wrapped his hands around my waist, my lips barely brushing his. He's being careful now, and he pulls back slightly. "Are you sure you can do this?" he whispers softly.

"Are you sure?" I ask back. Apparently he is, because his lips are on mine again then, and he isn't being careful anymore. I hate to admit it, but as much as I love Dimitri, I think I might actually like Adrian. His hand traces designs on my waist, and our kiss gets deeper and hungrier.

"Get a room." Christian calls out, and I giggle softly as Adrian continues to kiss me.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The limo Adrian got us finally pulls up to a fancy hotel. The sign says "Four Seasons Miami" in big fancy letters. "Oh My God! Adrian!" I squealed. I kissed him quickly on the cheek.

"Ivashkov." Adrian says to the lady behind the desk.

After finding something on her computer, she pulled out four key cards and told us four numbers. A man in one of those really funny hats took Tasha, Lissa and my bags and we all headed up the fourth floor on the elevator. I leaned a little closer to read his name tag. Mark. He opened each door for us. Dimitri and Tasha went into one, Lissa and Christian the next, and Eddie into the third. Adrian and I took the last room. He grabbed my hand and pulled me inside, dropping my bag, which he'd taken from Mark, on the sofa. I fell backwards onto the bed, feeling the soft sheets sag under me. Adrian sat down beside me and closed his eyes, and I rolled over to rest my chin on his chest.

We stayed like that for a minute. "Adrian?"

"Yes?" His eyes opened.

"Oh never mind." I said, staring into his eyes.

* * *

ADRIANS POV:

She put her head on my chest, and I lay there for a minute, my heart pounding in my chest. I wondered if she could hear it.

"Adrian?" she asked, her voice soft and beautiful.

"Yes?" I opened my eyes to find her brown ones much closer than I imagined they'd be.

"Oh never mind." She said, and we stared at each other for a couple moments.

"Tell me if you want to." I closed my eyes again. I'll admit I was taking this a little too seriously, but I had always loved Rose, and maybe by doing what we were doing she would see that she loved me too, and more than that guardian. I opened my eyes to find her closer than before, and before I could stop myself, I kissed her. And she kissed me back. Our kiss got deeper as she entangled her fingers in my hair. She finally pulled back, shock written all over her face.

"Adrian…" She trailed off.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

She smiled at my apology. "Its fine. Feel free to do it any time."

* * *

I tried to pull Rose out of bed the next morning, after sleeping on that damn couch. She didn't seem to want to get up though, so I softly pressed my lips to hers, pulling away as soon as I knew she was conscious. "If you want more," I teased, "Get your lazy ass out of bed and go take your shower.

"Ugh! Adrian! Why do you act like the mother I never had?"

"Because I do. Now move it." She gathered her clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

I sat down on the couch and flipped through the TV channels on the big flat-screen. I heard her a few minutes later, singing to herself in the shower. "Damn you're a sexy chick. Damn Girl!"

I was falling even more in love with this girl.

* * *

ROSE'S POV:

Ok, so I might be nuts. I mean really? I was falling for Adrian?

I quickly turned off the water and wrapped myself in a towel. I got dressed and brushed my hair quickly, then blow-dried it.

"Rose!" Adrian called through the door. "How long does it take you to shower!"

"I'm not showering idiot! I'm drying my hair." I said back.

The door suddenly opened, but it wasn't Adrian who stepped inside, it was Lissa. She took the blow dryer and my brush and started on my hair. "Thanks Liss."

"No problem. How'd you sleep?"

"Good. These beds are so comfortable. You?"

"They are comfortable, I slept great." Was all I got from her mouth. From her mind, well let's say I had to block her off.

"Adrian and you seem to really like each other." She commented.

_Flashback to previous night._ Adrian kissed me. That was one I hadn't been expecting and my first reaction was to push him away. But for some reason, I couldn't. Being with him just felt so right, so good, that I kissed him back. Things between us got less stressful after that. _End flashback._

"Yeah, I guess." She finished my hair, and I quickly put on shorts and a tank top on over my bikini. She pulled open the door, and we both went to sit on the couch. I sat on Adrian's Lap, and she sat next to us.

"Christian, Eddie, Tasha and Dimitri all said they would meet us in the lobby in half an hour." Lissa said, taking the remote out of Adrian's hands and flipping through the channel. We passed a kids show, and Lissa stopped. "Hey Rose, to you remember when we used to watch these shows?"

"Oh my god yes!" I squealed. "We used to love these in kindergarten!"

Adrian gently pushed me off his lap. "And this is when I go shower." Lissa and I barely heard him, we were so happy just to sit there and watch Dora.


	7. Chapter 6

**Please vote in my poll if you read **_**Inside I'm Soaring**_**!!!! You can even if you don't! I had a request for more Adrian and Rose scenes, so I am delivering!**

Chapter 6

We decided to stay on our nocturnal schedule while we were here, so we walked out of the hotel at in the middle of the human night. It was still warm out though, and we were avoiding the horrible heat at midday.

Adrian, Lissa, Eddie, Christian, Tasha and Dimitri and I all walked down the street towards the beach. Eddie took the front, and Dimitri and I took the back. It wasn't the most comfortable position for me, but I tried to make it work. We weren't on high alert though. There aren't usually any strigoi in this area.

"Adrian?" He asked quietly.

"What about him?" I asked back.

"You and Adrian… Together?" He asked again

"Yeah. But now we've both moved on." I said. He looked at me, then forward down the street.

"Yes." His voice was stony. "We both have."

* * *

Only Adrian and I were on the beach. Tasha had gone back to the hotel, Dimitri in tow, and everyone else was playing with a beach ball in the water. "Adrian?" I asked.

"Yes?" He moved over a few inches on the sand to be closer to me. I leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. He quickly responded, and I pulled back and smiled my most man-eating, seductive smile. "Must you do this to me Rose?" I grinned even wider. He swiftly flipped me over so he was on top of me, his hands and knees on either side of my body, so none of his weight was on me.

"Yes. I must." I barely had time to say before he kissed me again, but more passionately this time. I don't know why I let him kiss me like that, maybe deep down, I always liked Adrian, and I just wasn't realizing it until now. I wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him off his knees and on top of me so I could feel every line of his body on mine. We kissed for another moment before I felt his fingers playing with the strap of my bikini. His touch was light, gentle, and the patterns he traced seemed to mesmerize me.

"Guys! lets keep it PG-13!" Christian suddenly called.

We pulled away, both of us breathless. We sat up, and I rested my head against his bare chest. Lissa told us what was going on. "Christian and I wanted to go back to the hotel." I nodded, and we all picked up our towels and bags. I pulled my shirt on over my bikini top.

Adrian opened our room a moment later, and pushed me against the door as it closed. "Shall we pick up where we left off?"

* * *

Adrian and my relationship seemed only to get better from there on. At first I thought he just wanted to get me in bed, but I could handle it if he tried anything. I was enjoying my time with him though, and we ended up spending as much time as possible together, either making out (which I'll admit we did do often) or watching a movie or doing something in our room. I was enjoying myself so much the days seemed to fly by, and there were only two more days left in our trip. "Adrian," I groaned. "Why do we have to go home so soon?"

"We'll come back for a long weekend sometime, okay?" He took a sip of whatever was in his glass, and grinned at me.

There was a knock on our door, and I went to open it. Eddie stood there, "I was told to take you down to the gym Rose." He said.

"Um… okay." Ii opened the door wider so he could step inside. "Come on in, I'll just put on some better clothes." It was the human evening, so the gym would still be open, I figured. I grabbed a tank top and some shorts and went into the bedroom to change. When I came out a few minutes later, Adrian and Eddie were watching the weather channel. "Adrian do you know where my sneakers are?" I asked him, and he pointed. "Thanks."

"Looks like the storm is going to be huge." Eddie said to Adrian.

"Come on Eddie," I said, looking at the screen. Wow, we were in for a hell of a storm. "I'm ready."

We walked to the elevators and took it down to the first floor. I walked into a practice room, just to be ambushed by someone. I quickly tried to fight him off, but he was strong. Then I saw his molojna marks. Dimitri. He quickly pinned me down. "Looks like they haven't been training you as well as I had." He muttered.

I didn't have a response for that. They hadn't been training me as well as he had used to. More like I hadn't been pushing myself as hard. I used all of my strength to push him off, and we started to fight again. I landed a few good kicks, but so did he. We were an even match.

But I finally got the upper hand a few minutes later, and I pulled him down and pinned him. "Looks like they have."

"Very nice." His eyes roamed my body, just like they used to, appreciative, in spite of the annoyed set of his mouth. This pissed me off. "But you got lucky."

"As it turns out, I get lucky _very_ often." I stood up, and walked out of the room before he could say anything else.

I opened the door to our room, and saw Adrian right where he was when I left him.

I sat down next to him, and he draped his arm around me. "What did Eddie want?"

"Oh it wasn't Eddie who wanted me in the practice room."

He gave me an odd look. "Then who was it?"

"Dimitri."

He stiffened slightly; his arm around me became tighter. "I knew from your aura something was wrong."

"Well you got that one right."

"What happened?"

"He ambushed me, and we fought for a couple minutes."

"Really? Who won?"

"I did. Thanks for being so confident in my abilities."

"Oh I am very confident in your abilities." His eyes slid down my body, and this time, I didn't mind. He gently pushed me onto my back, lying on the couch. I wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him toward me.

'You're right. I am in a bad mood." I kissed him lightly, tempting. "But I'm sure you can distract me?" He kissed me then, and this kiss was better than any we had ever shared.

He pulled back a minute later, breathing heavy. "I'd be glad to."


	8. Chapter 7

VOTE IN MY POLL PLEASE!

Chapter 7

Lissa's emotions swept through me at that moment. Excited, and extremely so. I quickly slipped into her head. She was running down the hallway.

I got up from where Adrian and I were watching a movie (Angels and Demons, my pick) and opened the door just before she knocked. "What?" I asked.

"Ok. So I was on the phone with some of the girls from school, and guess what?"

"I'm not gonna guess Liss!" I said. "Spit it out!"

"Well I know we don't do dances… but they said the prom was moved up this year so its way early, a few days after we get back. I'm in charge of decorations!"

"Wow. That's great Liss."

"Yeah. So, we need to shop. For dresses. Now." She was so happy she was bubbling with excitement.

She pushed me inside, and quickly explained to Adrian where we were going and how he had to go to Eddie's so he would be 'properly guarded' (Dimitri's orders).

I grabbed my wallet, kissed Adrian quickly, but he held onto my hand. He glared. "Fine." He brought his lips back to mine, and I wrapped my hands around his neck, making the kiss deeper.

I could sense Lissa standing there, tapping her foot. "Oh come on!" She suddenly snapped.

"That's what you get when you delay Lissa's shopping." I muttered to Adrian. "See you later." It was technically pretty late for humans, but it was a Friday, and some of the malls around here stayed open really late.

The mall was within walking distance, but because it was late, we took a cab.

We pulled up to the mall and Lissa paid the driver. Walking inside, Lissa said, "Ok Rose. We have," She looked at her watch, "Two hours to find two prefect prom dresses."

We started into Nordstrom, and headed to the dresses department. A slow song was playing softly in the background as we sorted through the dresses, pulling out ones in our size and ones for each other. We finally headed over to the dressing room. We each went into our dressing rooms, and I started trying on the dresses in my very large pile.

I first tried on a floor length black dress. It hugged my body until the middle of my thigh, and then flared out a bit to trail on the floor a little. It just wasn't me.

"Rose." Lissa called. I slipped into her mind to see her in a floor length gown. She it was a purple and dark blue flowered pattern, with a dark blue satin sash tied right under the bust. _How do you like it? _Lissa thought to me.

"It's stunning Liss!" I said. "I love it." The dark colors contrasted her light complexion, and it accentuated the slim curves she had.

"I love it too. I think I might buy it." She looked at the price tag. _Almost $400. Ugh. Well I have been saving…_

"Oh please Liss, your allowance will cover it."

_Despite what you think Rose… I'm not that filthy rich!_ She thought.

She did buy the dress though, and we then walked over to Macy's, talking and laughing. I was still on guard duty though, so I kept my eye out for anything suspicious.

Now that Lissa had found her dress, we were devoted to finding mine. About a half hour later, we had. It was strapless, touched my knees, and red. The top was a brighter red, but it darkened to the bottom of the skirt where it was a dark burgundy. It matched my skin well and hugged my body so that you could see pretty much ever curve. I stepped outside of the dressing room and twirled.

"Wow Rose!" Lissa exclaimed. "You look, well… hot."

"Why thank you darling!" I responded.

"I think I'll get this one."

"Yes. I will buy it for you if you don't."

"Well I'll always take a free dress."

* * *

"One word to describe me right now." I said to Adrian a couple hours later. I was showing him my dress.

"Irresistible." He said, walking toward me slowly. "Completely and utterly irresistible." He put his arms around my waist and pulled me closer for a kiss.

"That's four. Doesn't count." I pulled back. "And don't mess up the dress." I smoothed it down where it was rumpled.

"How about sexy?" He pulled me towards him again, but I pushed him away playfully.

"At least let me change!" I laughed. "Unzip." I ordered him, and he did, his fingers lingering at my waist. I walked to the bathroom, and once inside, I slid out of the dress. Pulling on a pair of jeans, I thought about how fast things with Adrian and I were going. I usually didn't do things like this. Either I took things really slow, or it was pretty much one night, like with Jesse. I grabbed my t-shirt, and walked back into the bedroom.

"Are you ready now?" Adrian asked, opening his arms for me.

"Of course." He pulled me close to him, and kissed me on the cheek.

"I wanted to ask you something first." He hugged me close, and, for now, I was content just being by his side, his tall frame wrapped around mine. He tipped my chin up so our eyes met. "Do you want to go that prom thing with me? I can't imagine you going with anybody else in that sexy a dress."

"What do you think?" I let him sweat for a moment. "I'd love to Adrian."

We both sat down on the bed, and I turned on MTV. My legs were in his lap, and he caressed my legs in a way he would have used to do jokingly, but now it seemed absentminded.

"Wait." He turned his head toward me. "I didn't get my thank you kiss."

"What the hell is that?"

"You are going to show me how much you appreciate me asking you with a kiss."

"You know you didn't have to ask. I thought it was self explanatory." He kissed me then, and all of my thoughts went away, and I just felt the sensation of his lips on mine. I didn't really notice when he pushed me on to my back, and he was on top of me, controlling the kiss. But when we broke apart, I found that he was on his knees, straddling my waist in a way you don't do with someone you don't _like_. Allowing no space between us, he bent down and kissed me again. In a way, it felt like I was back in that lounge with Jesse, only this meant a whole lot more.

He smiled, and this time, I kissed him. It was a long, and passionate kiss, and one that didn't go lightly with me. Was I really having this relationship with him to make Dimitri jealous, or was I with him because I liked being with him. I knew it was the latter.


	9. Chapter 8

**READ THIS A/N:**

**Isn't writing about truth or dare so much fun? You can easily get characters to do what they are too scared to do normally. Ok, lets just say Rose and Adrian get a little frisky in this chapter. This is not like what I usually write, and I feel that they might be going too fast. Actually, this is the first time I've written this type of scene. But this is all-important to the story, and remember, he loved her even before they got together, and THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE PLOT.**

Chapter 8

"Ok." Lissa said over the phone. "Truth or dare. Me, you, Adrian, Christian, and Eddie."

"My place is free." I offered.

"Ok, I'll pick up Eddie on the way over. Be there in 10"

"Bye." I hung up.

"Adrian!" I called. He came out of the bedroom. "Lissa, Christian and Eddie are coming over for truth or dare, so get ready." I motioned to his body. He was wearing a pair of green boxer shorts.

"See anything you like?"

"Just go!" I pushed him into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. He came out a minute later fully clothed. "Better."

"Better?" He asked, pulling my body so it was touching his. "Don't I look strikingly sexy?"

"Sure, sure." I kissed him lightly and went into our room to change out of my short-and-sports-bra look. Once I came out of the bedroom, the living room had been transformed. There was a spot for everyone and glasses filled with some kind of alcohol, and Adrian sat on the couch, his green eyes sparkling. I unlocked the door so we wouldn't have to open it for them, and sat down beside him. "You know I don't drink when Lissa could be in danger."

"Oh don't worry. They set up wards around this place."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Because we were told not to. Now sit, enjoy yourself." I did, and he grinned, pulling me into his lap. His hands caressed the skin at my waist, and just then, Lissa and the others came in. "Come in, come in." Adrian said. "Lets start the game."

* * *

"Christian…" Lissa trailed odd. "I dare you to… throw my shoe out the window and see who it hits!" By now we were all drunk beyond belief. He walked over to the window, staggering.

"It didn't hit anyone." He reported.

"Dang!" she laughed. "Christian." Lissa said. "It's your turn!"

"Hmmm… Rose." I looked up at him. As the night had progressed, and we become more, and more drunk, Adrian had gotten more physical with me. Adrian kept kissing my neck and caressing my legs. See? Even Adrian gets a little different when he's _really_ drunk.

"Dare."

"Rose. I dare you to… hmmm… give Adrian a lap dance."

"God Christian." But I, being Rose Hathaway, NEVER backed down on a dare. I slung my legs on either side of Adrian's lap. I looked him in the eye, "You sure?" I asked. He nodded. I'd given lots of guys lap dances when I was drunk and playing truth or dare, but none of them meant more to me than this. I lowered myself into his lap, right on top of his crotch, and I could feel he was enjoying this. "Really Adrian?" He just grinned. I slowly started gyrating my hips against his crotch, and he let out a sigh. I didn't meet his eyes. I wasn't ready for this. Our relationship wasn't ready for this.

"Rose, you have to make it believable." Christian called from behind me.

"Fine." I gyrated my hips slower, but harder on his crotch, and leaned down to kiss him on the lips. His tongue slipped into my mouth, and that first touch was like fire on my skin. But I wanted it. And suddenly, I craved for his touch. It was like the lust charm all over again, only this time, it was my own will.

I knew Adrian had done this before. I mean, he did have that kind of reputation, and I had (way back in my party days), so what was to worry about? His hands were on my hips then, and he guided them faster, and harder. "Adrian." I said, disapproving. I pushed his hands down to my knees. "Nope. This is supposed to be all me." I decided to torture him then. I pulled away slightly, pretending to be done. He grabbed my face in his hands, bringing his lips to mine.

"You know neither of us want that." He said softly into my ear. He guided my hips into place again, and this time I didn't mind when he rocked my hips, much harder than before, against his.

"Adrian." I moaned, completely forgetting Eddie, now sleeping on the floor, and Lissa and Christian, making out next to him. Oh god, I really was drunk. "Oh god Adrian."

"You're really good at that, you know?" I laughed. I was falling deeper and deeper in love with Adrian, and he seemed to be to.

ADRIAN'S POV

"Fine." She moved her hips slower, but harder, and she leaned down to kiss me. The moment my tongue entered her mouth: Fireworks. That was the only word to describe it.

She seemed hesitant though, and I wanted to move her along. I grabbed her hips, and I moved her hips faster with the beat in my head, and I pushed her harder, the friction between us intensifying as we moved faster together. I don't think she realized it, but she was moaning in pleasure. She grabbed by hands, and pushed them down her legs, which were bare, due to the shorts she was wearing. She pulled back. "Nope. This is supposed to be all me." I was fine with that. _All_ I wanted was her. She started to move back, agonizing, but I couldn't her end this, so I brought my lips back to hers.

Why did she have to be so sexy? She drove me wild, all the time we spent together. I couldn't handle it this time. She had this seductive look on her face that drove me further into the madness. "You know neither of us want that." I said softly in her ear, before guiding her hips into place above my crotch, and this time she didn't care when I rocked her, harder and faster than before, on me.

She moaned again. "Adrian." But the way she said it, made it sound like 'please'.

Clothes were but a barrier now, "Oh god Adrian." She moaned again. Of all the people I'd heard moan my name, her voice made it sound the best, like pure _her_ wrapped in three little words. Just like 'I love you'. I loved her. I thought, but didn't have the nerve to say.

"You're really good at that, you know?" I told her. She laughed, and continued to grind her hips against mine, pushing slowly forward so I moaned in pleasure.

"Oh I know." She said, in the typical Rose Hathaway way. "I would kill Christian right now, except from the fact I'm enjoying this." She said. "You're good at this too." She mocked me.

"Fine." I sighed "No more for you." I started to push her off, slowly, making it as unbearable for her as it was for me.

"I'm sorry." She said quickly. "I didn't mean it." I didn't think so.

ROSE'S POV:

"I'm sorry." I apologized quickly. "I didn't mean it." I kissed him quickly, hoping to keep this going forever. The kiss was long, and passionate. He pulled back, and looked in my eyes. Lust filled his, and I'm sure mine echoed those same feelings.

He started guiding my hips again, slower, more drawn out. Once I was doing it on my own, his fingers began to play with the hem of his my shirt. Before I knew it, it was on the floor, and he was kissing from my neck up to my lips, his hands caressing my stomach gently. Ok. Today was a really good day to wear that new black lace bra.

I loved the way he touched me, the way that his skin set mine afire. I loved that voice in my head, completely my own this time, urging me toward him, encouraging me to be with him. Encouraging me to love him.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Adrian's POV:

She slowly unbuttoned my shirt, still moving her hips with mine. I love you. I love you. All I wanted, but couldn't say. Her aura was pink, tinged with red. The colors for passion, lust, and love.

Pulling it off, she kissed me again, and I moved forward on the couch. She wrapped her legs around my waist, her arms wrapped around my neck to support herself. I stood up, and went to the bedroom, her clinging to me, closing the door behind me. If anything happened, it would not be on the living room couch.

She meant more to me than that. She meant the world to me, and just to have her here, even if we weren't doing what we were doing, I would be content. I would be content just to hold her hand in public. For a moment, I thought about our plan, and the dare. She couldn't be doing this for those things; she wouldn't do that to me. She knew it would pain me too much to do this and see her walk away. It would be crushing. I sat lay her out on the bed, and I kneeled over her. She wouldn't have that, and she got to eye level with me, kissing me so passionately I almost wouldn't care if this were because of the plan. It's not. She wants this. I told myself. Running her hands down my arms, she pulled my shirt off me, and I pushed her onto her back, kissing her again.

* * *

Rose's POV:

I woke up in Adrian's arms, with a god-awful hangover. I just sat there for a minute, not wanting to move, until I realized I wasn't wearing a shirt, and neither was he. The events of the night came flooding back to me. "Adrian!" I shook him, and his eyelids slowly opened.

"Hey."

"What the hell did we do last night?"

"You don't remember?"

"Oh I remember!" He grinned, getting up and kissing me again, pushing me down on the bed again. I responded for a minute, but something seized me. "Oh god. I'm just. Ugh." I stood up, completely confused about what had happened the night before. All I knew was I needed to let this out, all of this emotion. I ran out the door, grabbing my shirt off the floor and pulling it on my way out. I remember hearing Adrian call out for me, but I didn't care right now. All I cared about was punching something before I punched someone in the face.

I got to the gym, and found a few punching bags for boxing. Setting them up in the practice room, I started punching and kicking them, not even bothering to find my gloves.

_Why did I get myself in that situation?_ I asked myself. Punch. _Because I'm Rose Hathaway. _Kick._ And I do stupid stuff like that. _Punch.

_Did I love Adrian? _Kick. Kick. Punch._ Did he love me? _Kick._ He claimed to. But did he really just want to get me in bed?_

"Rose?" Someone called behind me. I turned, Lissa. She was staring at me, like I was a stranger. Her eyes flicked to my knuckles, bloody from the force of my punches. I hadn't realized. "Are you alright?" Her voice was concerned.

I turned away from her, starting up my punching again. But her hands were on my shoulders then, and I felt the cuts heal on my hands, and my mood lighten. "Its my fault." She told me softly. "The darkness." She clarified. I turned toward her.

"What?"

"I sent you the darkness. I-I'm sorry." I looked down to see she hadn't done anything to herself. "It got to be too much, and I just couldn't handle it." She paused. "Christian was worried, and he told me give it too you." _Wow. Thanks Christian._

"God Lissa." I sighed. "But that's good. Do it when you get too overwhelmed. I don't want you doing anything."

"But I feel so bad letting it all out into you." She said, slumping to the ground, wrapping her arms around her knees.

"Don't." I went back to my punching. "I have ways of dealing with it." I all made sense now. Normally, I wouldn't have gotten so angry with Adrian. And I wouldn't have run out on him like that. I looked back to her, and saw a tear roll down her cheek.

"I can't keep doing this to you." She said, her voice wavering. "Why did this have to happen to me?"

I sat next to her, and moved her face so she was looking at me. I held out my hand, just dried blood now. "You see that? That right there?" I said, pointing to the places where the wounds had been. "That is a gift. And I'm here, alive. That's a gift too. The gifts make it worth it for me. So don't worry about it. I'm here, and we'll handle this together. It's a balance, but we can make it work."

**I really wanted to end it now. I'm sorry it's a good two hundred words short, but I can get to the next chapter soon!**


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I spent the night on the couch, skillfully avoiding Adrian until I was ready to explain. We packed, in silence. Today was our last day, and we were leaving in ten minutes. I finished and walked over to put my bags in the hallway. I'd talk to him on the plane.

"Lissa I can't do it." I confessed a minute later, in front of the hotel.

"Oh you'll do fine." She assured me, and she pulled me towards a limo pulling up.

We got into the limo, and Christian, Dimitri, and Tasha followed. Adrian came a few minutes later, sitting opposite from me.

The ride was short, and silent. We got to the airport later, and were boarding our plane quickly. I made sure to be last to get on so I could sit in the empty seat next to Adrian.

He looked at me, then looked away. When I saw him sneak another look at me, I pointed at my head, then lay my head back on the seat and tried to fall asleep.

"Adrian?" He appeared, and we were in the same garden we always were. "Adrian let me explain."

"You don't have to." He said bitterly. "The worst thing you possibly could have done was leave me then."

"Adrian. Let me explain."

"Why?" He interrupted

"It wasn't me. Well it was. I was just confused about what happened, and Lissa sent all of her darkness into me, and I just had to do something. I couldn't handle it. I couldn't stay." I told him.

"What?"

"Lissa sends the darkness to me, through the bond. She's only done it three times, so I'm still getting used to it." I explained.

He just stared. "Adrian, Adrian please."

A single tear, a small tear, but one nonetheless, fell down my cheek. "Please?"

He crossed over to sit next to me on the ground, pulling his arms around my waist. "I've never seen you cry." His green eyes glinted in the sunlight I'd never seen him in in real life.

"I don't, usually." The tear hadn't been followed by only ne other, and Adrian took the opportunity to kiss it off my cheek.

"Its alright. Don't cry." I buried my face in his chest. _Rose Hathaway does not cry over a guy._ But this statement had been proven wrong when Dimitri had left me.

Then I knew. I knew what was happening, how I felt about him. All I could feel, all I could feel was love.

"Rose." He said about ten minutes later, kissing my hair. "What do you want to do now?"

One thing came to my mind. "Go swimming." He stood up, and pulled me with him. "Suit me up." I said, and he touched my shoulder, and my jeans and tank top turned into a maroon nikini he'd once complemented me in. His own clothes changed into a pair of dark blue swim trunks. He picked me up bridal style, and walked the few steps to the small house that held the pool. He threw me into the pool, and I felt myself sink in the hot water.

Adrian cannon-balled in after me, sending a huge wave into my face. He was near me now, and he was tall enough that he could touch the bottom of the pool. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and pulled me closer to him so I could feel his chiseled chest against my stomach. "Why do you have to be so damn sexy?"

"Why do you have to be so pushy?"

And then he kissed me. It was all that I had missed the past two days, and all that I had wanted. He slowly walked forward into the shallower part of the pool, to where I could touch the bottom of the pool too, and against the edge of the pool, where he pressed his body against mine, no space left between us. Placing my hands on the sides of the pool, I pushed myself up so I was sitting on the edge of the pool, and I was now taller than he was. Winding my hands into his hair, I knew it. I never wanted this to end.

* * *

Adrian and I had soon resorted to Marco Polo. "Marco?" I called, turning in the pool.

"Polo, you're way off." He informed me. I turned to where his voice was, and started waling forward, "Adrian!" I groaned. "Where the hell are you?"

I suddenly felt someone slap my butt. Spinning around, I tried to catch him before he could move. Nope. This was his dream, and his voice was suddenly further away. "Can you teleport in these dreams?"

"Technically… yes. But I've only tried a couple of times."

"Were those times during this game?"

"Maybe." There was a splash, and I darted out to where it was, grabbing his arm.

I pulled him close, murmuring, "I win." against his lips.

"Fine. But I want a rematch."

"Rose Hathaway doesn't play rematches." I said to him.

"But Adrian Ivashkov does." He replied, and closed his eyes.


	12. Chapter 11

**OMG! Best moment of my LIFE! The guy I like just broke up with his girlfriend! YAY! But :( for her. Sorry to bore you with my personal life, here you go:**

Chapter 11

We landed at the Academy, a few hours later, and Lissa had to wake me up. Once I was out of the dream, Adrian slipped out of his trance. He grabbed my bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Lets go get dinner." He grabbed my hand, and we walked off the plane together, and we all headed off to get dinner at the cafeteria. I could feel Dimitri's glare boring down on me, and on Adrian.

"Come on Adrian." I said, glaring back at Tasha and Dimitri. We ran together to the commons, and Adrian first steered me into the feeder's room. I'd forgotten about blood while on our trip. "Adrian?" I asked. "Where did you get the blood in Miami?"

"Oh there's lots of people who'll do it." He said, quoting me from after Lissa and I had returned to the Academy. "The four seasons is a vacation place of many Moroi. They have feeders Rose." He started towards the feeders, but I healed back.

"I'll just, um… wait here." I sat down on the bench, and after shooting me an odd look, he continued down the small hallway.

He came back a few minutes, later, took my hand, and we crossed into the cafeteria. The noise level got significantly lower as we entered, the ones who cared enough staring and stopping their conversations. I heard "blood whore" and "slut" whispered among friends, but tried to ignore it. I grabbed a salad and we sat in the very back, and I dug in.

"Don't let it get to you." He told me. "They're probably just thinking about how amazingly sexy I look."

"Yeah sure Adrian." I smiled. "I'm trying to ignore it." Lissa sat down next to me, in the middle of taking a bite out of her apple. Christian sat next to her, and Eddie sat next to Adrian.

"I'm sorry Rose." Lissa said.

"Oh its nothing out of the usual." I said. "I've always been thought of as a blood whore. Nothing new." What I said was true, but it still hurt.

Lissa patted my back. "They'll get tired of the gossip soon enough." _I could help… if you want. _She thought to me.

"No. Don't do that." I said to her quickly.

"You know that's creepy right?" Christian said, and Eddie nodded.

"Yeah. Really creepy."

"I'm just answering her question!" I exclaimed.

"But the thing is, she didn't ask a question." Eddie pointed out.

"As far as you know." Lissa said, ending the topic. "So Rose, I've already started planning the decorations-" She started.

"Oh god." Christian said. "Not this again!"

"Yes this again." She slapped his arm. "I was thinking black and white, with little hints of red. We could do the tables with white tablecloths. And we could put white lights in all the trees around the entrance." And she went on, and on, and on.

Lissa finally finished her long monologue, and the boys had long since picked up another topic. "That sounds great Lissa." I said, and we all got up to head back to the dorms. "Night Liss." She smiled and waved.

Adrian and I walked outside and towards my dorm. His hand was warm as it held tight on mine. I smiled at the thought of just how this scene would have appalled me three weeks ago.

ADRIAN'S POV:

She smiled as we neared her dorm. I held the door open for her, and we slipped into the lobby. She tried to stay discreet, but because she was holding my hand, and I was the only guy in the room, that didn't really work. The dorm matron stopped her. "Damn." She muttered.

I pulled her a little back. "Why hello Ms. Smith." I greeted her, turning on my compulsion. "I was going up to tell Rose goodnight. That's fine if I do it every night, right?" I smiled.

"Why of course Adrian."

"And if anyone asks, I was never here, right Ms. Smith?"

"No, you weren't here." She answered, and her eyes were distant.

"Good." I pulled Rose, who was partially dazed, into the stairwell.

"You know," She said, "You really shouldn't do that. It drives you crazy eventually, especially because you don't have someone who's shadow kissed."

I grinned. "Oh me and my cigarettes will be fine."

"You shouldn't do that either. They smell nasty."

"How about I smoke while you're in class?"

"Fine." She opened her door and I put her bag on the floor by the door.

"So, Miss Hathaway, would you give me the pleasure of a goodnight kiss?"

"No, I don't think I will." She replied, but she didn't object when I walked over and kissed her.

ROSE POV:

He kissed me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down to be loser to me. He slowly walked forward, forcing me backward, until my knees hit the end of my bed, and I fell backwards. He balanced on his knees over me, "Did I hear a 'no'?"

"Nope." I answered. "You heard a yes."

"That's better." He brought his lips to mine, and I pulled him down to me, so I could feel his body against mine as we kissed.

Somehow, I found myself on top of him, and I was kissing him passionately. He kissed me back with the same passion.

_Man, I was loving this._

His fingers played with the hem of my shirt, slowly pushing it up to expose about half of my back, and he traced intricate patterns on my back where his fingers touched. He caught sight of the back of my neck, and moved my hair out of the way, two small lightning bolts, and one star. He stared at them a moment, and then covered them again with my hair.


	13. Chapter 12

**OMG! I love ELLEN! Sorry, I seem to have some news to share every chapter… Anyway…**

Chapter 12:

"Those lights are supposed to be white!" Lissa yelled over to me. Yes, I was climbing the trees for her, as she stood there with a clipboard and a cell phone against her ear. "Eddie! Fix them!"

He ran over to the controller for the fancy lights and started to play around with the colors. I continued to spread the lights in the tree. "Nice ass Rose." Jesse called from the ground.

"Shut the hell up." I responded, throwing a twig at his head.

"Jesse! I want you inside, and Rose, I need those lights higher!" Lissa ordered. I draped the remaining light strings over a branch, and continued to climb higher.

"Damn." I cursed as the branch under me snapped. Screaming, I could feel myself fall for a second. I heard Lissa gasp as I fell, but I managed to grab the next branch down. "See Liss? I can only go so high." The cuts in my hands stung, but were only scrapes.

"Adrian, get up there and help Rose so she doesn't end up killing herself." She helped him, and I slowly pushed myself up the branch with my arms. I helped Adrian up, and we both climbed back up to the top.

"You scared me there." Adrian said as he pulled up behind me.

"Nah, you know I've got good reflexes."

He grinned. "You do." He took my hands and healed the wounds.

"You're getting better at that! Hand me those lights?" I asked as I stepped up another branch, testing my weight on it with my foot.

"Sure." He handed me the string, and I started looping it around the branch. "Promise me you won't do that again."

"Ugh. Fine, Adrian."

"We have three hours people!" Lissa screamed. "Pick up the pace!"

"God Liss. It's just a dance."

"It's THE dance Rosemarie Hathaway." She snapped.

Adrian and I laughed as I stepped up another branch. "When does this end?" Adrian asked, referring to Lissa.

"When all of this is over. Then she obsesses about something else. It's a cycle." I stepped up another branch, and he followed, holding my waist so I could use both hands.

He smiled. "You've got one last branch." We finally reached the top, just in time to see the beginning of the sunset.

"This is like one of those sappy romance movies." I commented.

"These moments seem better in real life." He kissed me lightly on the lips.

* * *

I got out of the shower and put on the robe Lissa had forced me to take with me.

The whole dorm was almost buzzing with excitement, everyone laughing and getting ready. I opened Lissa's door to find her blow-drying her hair, her makeup on, and her dress on the bed.

"Sit." She motioned to an empty chair, and started on my hair, drying it, and curling it. When she was done curling, he took several ringlets and pinned them to the back of my head, so it looked like my hair was cascading down my back.

She switched off the curling iron and started on my makeup, giving me a smoky eye, with lots of mascara, so when she was done, my eyelashes we huge. She motioned for me to get up, and I got into my dress.

"I gotta say Liss, we look great." I said to her as we looked in her full-length mirror. Her hair was straight and it fell down her back beautifully. She had on neutral makeup, and she looked radiant.

She put on her pair of heels, and she held out a pair to me. They were black stilettos. And god, were they tall. She grabbed her bag, and I grabbed mine, taking out a pair of black shutter sunglasses. I put them on, being careful not to mess up my makeup or hair.

"Why are you wearing those?"

"Eddie dared me and Adrian to. You were drunk, you probably don't remember."

She smiled, and pulled me along. "Come on Rose. You and your shutters are going to be late!"

She pulled me down the hall, and some girls were walking around, already in their dresses. Several girls told Lissa she looked great, and how excited they were, but we got to the stairwell quickly.

"Adrian and Christian are going to meet us at the doors." She informed me.

"Ok. Sure." We walked out the doors to find the guys waiting for us. Christian was wearing a simple black tux, as was Adrian. And oh my god, he looked _hot_.

"Hey." Adrian said, and I could see his eyes sweep my body, enjoying the dress as much as he had the first time he saw it. "You look beautiful." He murmured in my ear as he pulled me close to him.

"You clean up nice." I commented.

"Nice?"

I laughed. "You look great."

"That's better." He took my hand and we all walked over to the place where the dance was going to be.

Adrian started talking to Chrsitian, and I was talking to Lissa, when a senior moroi whistled in our direction. Lissa and I looked at each other, then cracked up, but Adrian and Christian didn't look too happy. "Oh calm down Adrian!" He still looked angry. "It happens all the time, lighten up."

He wrapped his arm around my waist. "You do look great."

"Yes, I _am_ unbelievably sexy." He kissed my forehead.

"Yes. Yes you are." He said. I grinned up at him, and he kissed me quickly.

We made it to the doors. My hard work in the trees had paid off well. The trees around the door looked beautiful. We stopped for pictures before we went in. We took two pictures, the first of us, smiling, the second was of Adrian kissing me on the lips, like in all of those cheesy wedding photos.

We parted ways then, because Lissa had to deal with some last minute problems. The way things work at our proms, the slow songs come first, then they put on a mix so you could dance with your date and your friends. And we were late, so a lot of couples were dancing already. Adrian and I went to the corner table that had the best view of the dance floor, and we dropped our things there, before Adrian led me onto the dance floor.

As I lay my head against his chest, and thought about how this moment would be one I wanted to remember for a long time to come.


	14. Chapter 13

**SPRING BREAK! I'm supposed to be in Utah right now but the airline cancelled our flight because the pilot never showed up… Sorry to bore you…**

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M!**

Chapter 13:

A faster beat filled the room, and several people came off the dance floor. A group girls were dancing with their friends now as their dates all were talking at the corner of the room.

Lissa, Mia, and I all sat at the table Adrian and I had claimed earlier. Eddie, Mia's date, Adrian, and Christian had all disappeared to get us drinks.

Mia had come back for the prom (which Eddie had asked her to come to) and she was staying for the rest of the year. She wore a pink one-shoulder dress and her hair was in a messy bun, with several locks hanging down. The whole look made her look beautiful.

I looked around and noticed one guardian on duty staring at me. I excused myself quickly and walked over to him. "What the hell are you doing here." I hissed.

"Some of us have guard duty." His eyes looked me up and down, that appreciative look was on his face.

"Some of us have boyfriends." I snapped, and his eyes met mine.

"Yes." He said. "I guess you do." I turned and walked back to the table.

"A drink for Rose." Adrian said, coming up behind me and handing me my drink, "And a drink for me." He sat down, as did Christian and Eddie.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?" He turned so he was facing me.

"Rose," He looked nervous, but I could see passion behind that. "Rose, I know you might not feel the same way, but I love you."

I was shocked he had gotten the nerve to finally say it, and I was beginning to love him too. I grabbed his hand, and pulled him out the door of the dance and into one of the empty rooms.

Bringing his lips to mine, he kissed me. It started out slow, but soon the passion we had made the kiss deeper. My hands were tangled in his hair, and he slowly backed me up, and pulled me up so I was sitting on the table. I kissed him again, wondering if I should tell him I loved him.

* * *

And of course, there was the after-prom party in the Moroi dorm, so after the dance, about half of the seniors, along with Adrian and I all went over there after the prom. It was pretty easy to get in, because it wasn't properly guarded due to the dance. Adrian and I grabbed drinks and quickly settled on one of the couches in one of the lounges. I could hear music from the other room in the background as we talked.

After a couple of drinks, I was starting to feel a little drunk. I was in Adrian's lap, and he stroked my legs with his free hand, getting further up. Each of his touches was like flames, and I wanted more of his skin on mine. _Oh God,_ I thought, _If you're up there, please keep me from doing anything I'll regret._

Soon enough, Adrian and I were making out again, and things were getting more heated, like the last time we'd been drunk together. "Adrian." I moaned, and he responded with another kiss, longer and more passionate. His eyes were suddenly filled with lust more lust than they had been. I pulled him tighter to me, feeling him being turned on under me. His hands slid down my sides, and I definitely didn't stop him when he lifted my dress over my head.

ADRIAN'S POV:

This felt like replay of what had happened in Florida. It wouldn't end the same way though, I was sure, because our relationship was ready, and we both wanted each other. I could tell in the way she looked at my eyes she wanted me as much as I wanted her. I slid my hands down her sides and slowly lifted her dress over her head.

Her hands moved to push my jacket off my shoulders and I pushed it off my arms and onto the floor. She kissed me again, her legs straddling me as we kissed, and I pulled us tighter. "Rose." I moaned on her lips, and she responded by kissing me with more passion than before. She was unbuttoning my shirt then, and soon it was gone, her hands on my chest, pushing me down.

I flipped her over so she was under me, and I could feel her beneath me. She arched her back, allowing little between us, her excitement showing in her eyes. I kissed her again, pushing her down on the couch so there was no space in between us. I slid my tongue into her mouth, and she responded fiercely. Reaching down, she slowly unbuttoned and unzipped my pants, kissing me everywhere. I kicked them off so I was just in my boxers. Sliding my hands down her body, I finally made it to her ass, leaving my hands there. She somehow got on top of me again, and I felt her start to grind her hips right over mine, barely touching me. She wasn't giving me what I wanted, torturing me. I grabbed her and pushed her down. "Adrian" She moaned. I felt her grinding on me then, without my hands to guide her. She was moving harder than the last time, the friction between us intensifying as she moved faster. I pushed up against her as she pushed down harder, and she stared moaning my name again.

ROSE'S POV

Adrian had to be the master at this, because he was so much better at this than any of the other guys I'd been in this situation with. I was getting impatient, and he wasn't giving me what I wanted yet, so I flipped him over and started grinding my hips on his, as hard as I could. He pushed up as I pushed down, making a friction of which I wanted much more. His hands found my hips then, holding them so tightly that there might be bruises. He pushed me to go harder and faster, doubling the friction and making it all the more pleasurable. I kissed him as he moved my hips with his. Slowly, his hands began to travel further up, all the way to my bra. He played with the straps for a moment, then undid the hook, pulling it off and throwing it on the floor. His hands moved to my hair, tangling them into it and pulling his lips to mine. He paused, and moved back for a moment. He looked at me, my hips still grinding on his, and traveled up my almost naked body, stopping at my boobs. "You like what you see?" I asked.

"Hell yes." He answered, breathless, sexy, before taking my face in his hands and kissing me again.

* * *

I woke up several hours later, with a headache, and my body was sore. I quickly noticed my surroundings. I was in the Moroi lounge, and it was about 3 PM human time, which was the equivalent to 3 AM. Adrian was sleeping next to me, and we were both stark naked. I sat up quickly, trying to find my clothes. Adrian woke up quickly, and he smiled a lazy grin at me, his green eyes sparkling.

That's when I knew it. Looking at his face, I knew he was the one for me. He was the one I wanted to wake up to see every morning. He was the one I wanted to have a life with. So I finally said it, those five little words that meant so much. "I love you too Adrian."

**PLEASE REVIEW! I KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE READ THIS STORY AND I AM NOT GETTING EVEN HALF THAT AMOUNT REVIEWS! Come on people, it takes about 5 seconds. Thank you to those people who have reviewed in the past.**


	15. Chapter 14

I'm feeling happy today, so I shall give you a chapter!

Chapter 14

He stared at me for a moment before taking my face in his hands and kissing me. "I love you." He said. I grinned, thinking of how lucky I was to have him. We found our clothes and got dressed. Then we snuck out of the door and walked towards my dorm, hand in hand.

I was tired, and sore, so I decided to go back to bed. I pulled on a tank top and some shorts and curled up beside Adrian on my bed.

* * *

"Blood whore." Someone whispered as I passed them in the cafeteria that next Monday.

"Slut." Someone else said.

"Yeah she slept with him." A different girl said to her friend.

"Jesse?" The girl's friend asked, "Again?"

I had gotten used to the rumors now, and they had mostly died down before prom. But now they were worse, because they were rumoring I had slept with several different people, along with Adrian. Well, rumors had to start somewhere.

"When are people going to get tired of gossiping about me sleeping with half the guys in the senior class?" I asked Lissa as I sat down.

"I don't know Rose." _I'm sorry._

"Well I've gotten used to it. It's just annoying." It was our first day back after Spring break, and I was dead tired.

I sensed Adrian come up behind me. "Hey sexy." He kissed me on the cheek as he sat down next to me.

"Hey." I responded. "You know you aren't helping the rumors, right? Not that I mind…"

"Yeah" He said, pondering. "Sorry about those."

"It's just annoying." I repeated what I had told Lissa. He was wearing dark jeans today, and a red button down.

I finished my lunch. "I have to go take care of something." I said as I stood up. I kissed Adrian lightly on the lips, and waved at Lissa. "See you later."

I got to the Moroi boys dorm, and found him quickly. "Jesse Zeklos." I said, blocking his path outside and tapping my foot. "Shame on you."

He looked nervous. "Oh hi Rose."

"Don't 'Hi Rose' me. I know what you did Jesse."

"You do?"

"Of course I do." I said uncrossing my arms and placing them on my hips. "And you will pay for it." I turned on my heel and walked out of the dorm.

* * *

"Adrian stop it!" I giggled. "Adrain!" I got out between giggles. How did he know I was so ticklish?

He kissed me lightly on the lips. "Better?" He asked.

"Much." I kissed him again.

"Guys!" Lissa came in, a hand over her eyes. "I thought we were going to keep it PG-13!"

"Well its nice to see you too Lissa." I said, and Adrian went to set up the Wii. We had an odd tradition for Monday nights. We always had rock band tournaments in Adrian's room. I was the current champion, a fact that Adrian, Eddie, and Christian found appalling. I grabbed the four controllers we had, and took my favorite of the two guitar controllers. It was black with red words over it. I handed Lissa the acoustic-looking guitar. Adrian was at drums, scrolling through the songs. Christian and Eddie got there soon after we had finished setting up, and Eddie took the microphone.

"How about 'Sex on Fire'?" Adrian asked.

"Real funny Adrian." I said, glaring at him.

"What? The guitar in that song is awesome."

"It is." Eddie chimed in.

"Fine!" They clicked on the song. I chose expert, Lissa chose easy, and the boys both chose hard. Clicking the keys at the right time, I noticed Adrian was having a hard time. "Nice Adrian." I said, and he stuck out his tongue. "Oh real mature."

I won, of course, and we all switched positions. Adrian was sitting out this time, and I was playing drums. I was winning, when suddenly Adrian came up behind me and kissed me. Kissing him back, I completely forgot about the game until Christian yelled, "YES! I WIN!"

"Adrian Ivashkov!" I yelled as soon as I broke apart from Adrian. "How dare you!" He was cracking up, as was everyone else. "Hmm…" I said into Adrian's ear. "No sex for Adrian tonight." I gave him my most seductive smile. "Your loss." My lips traveled along his cheek, gently brushing his skin.

"I think Rose deserves a rematch." Adrian said suddenly.

"Aw man! Don't do that to me." Christian complained.

"Yeah listen to him." I urged.

Christian and I took both guitars, and we decided to play 'Sex on Fire' again. I chose expert like last time, and he chose hard again.

I won, even when Adrian decided to side with the guys for a minute and started grinding on me as I played. I just went with it, and beat Christian's score by a lot, even though I was on expert and he was on hard.

Everyone left a little later, but I stayed after to help Adrian put things away. When we were done, he came up behind me, his arms around my waist. "I recall a deal we had…" He started, and turned me around to kiss him. He picked me up without breaking the kiss, and dropped me on the bed. He scrambled on top of me, unzipping my jacket and throwing it on the floor.

"Nope." I said, pulling back. "You helped Christian in that last game."

"But… Oh come on Rose!" He said. I kissed him quickly before I pulled back and sat up. "Oh no you don't." He pulled me down, kissing me with so much passion I didn't care what he had done during the game.

We kissed for several minutes, and then he started playing with the hem of my shirt, pulling it up over my head. He balanced on his knees over me, studying the shape of my body. "So damn sexy." I moaned as I sat up to bring my lips to his. "Beautiful." I kissed his lips softly, sweetly, the way our first kiss should have been instead of proving something to Lissa.

"Adrian." I moaned, pulling his shirt off and pushing him down onto the bed again.

Suddenly there was a bang as the door opened, and guess who was standing there? Guardian Dimitri Belikov.

His eyes shone with hurt, and I saw the jealousy overcome him as he strode across the room, grabbed my arm and my shirt, and practically threw me out the door. He followed a moment later. "Was that really necessary?" I asked as he tugged me along towards my dorm.

"Yes." He said. "He is just using you. I don't want to see you hurt."

"Adrian loves me." I said, matter-of-factly. I stopped walking, tearing my arm from his grasp. "And I love him."

I strode down the hall, and slammed the stair door behind me.


	16. Chapter 15

**Sorry its short. Please review!**

**Chapter 15**

**Two Weeks Later (so like the second/third week of May)**

Although we had gone through my time guarding Christian, I still needed to finish with one last test: fighting a group of guardians to see if I would become an official guardian. We had a week and a half of classes left, and then tests, then graduation.

I was really nervous for the tests, but everyone I talked to about it assured me that I would do amazing and I had nothing to worry about.

But still I trained harder than ever, getting up early to use the practice rooms. Adrian came with me in the mornings, and Lissa came with me after school.

She seemed pretty happy most of the time, and when she wasn't, I would make her send the darkness into me, and I could deal with it in different ways. If it got to be too much though, she would heal most of it out of me, and the cycle would start again. Happy, sad, depressed, crazy, calm. Each was a stage, and I really didn't like the middle ones, but like I'd told her in Miami, it was a balance, but I could make it work.

"Rose?" Adrian asked me one morning as I practiced staking dummies.

I stopped, turning around to face him. Several strands of hair stuck to my face with the sweat. "Yeah?" I brushed the hair out of my face.

"What are you doing after graduation?"

We hadn't talked about our future together at all. I staked one of the dummies. "I'll follow Lissa and Christian I guess." I started. "I fully intend on becoming her gaurdian, and I'll follow her where she goes. What are you going to do?"

He grinned at me. "Follow you where ever you go, as I fully intend to marry you someday." I staked another dummy.

"Is that a proposal, because I'll want a ring." I joked.

I looked to see if he was smiling. He was. "No Rose, it's not a proposal… well not yet."

I started to put away the practice dummies, and Adrian came over to help as he usually did. But when we were done, instead of walking me to my dorm, he pulled me to him. "But Adrian I'm all sweaty!" I protested.

"I've told you once and I'll tell you again, sweat isn't all that bad." He kissed me. "But if I were to propose, sometime in the future, how would you respond?"

"I would say hell yes." He smiled, pecked me on the lips, and walked me to my dorm.

* * *

School days were normal, but it was the weekend I had to worry about, so when Friday finally came around, I was a little cautious about this weekend.

"So Little Dhampir, you and me, dinner tonight?" Adrian asked as we walked to my dorm the next morning.

"Yeah sure…" I said. "Where?"

"It's a surprise."

"Please Adrian? Is it fancy?"

"Yes, so wear a dress."

"Oh come on Adrian!"

"Nope. No way Rose." We were behind the dorm now, and Adrian pushed me up against the wall, kissing me passionately. I kissed him back, and we both got caught up in the moment, and soon my legs were wrapped around his waist, and we were clinging together.

* * *

"And he asked me what I would say if he proposed, and I said I would say yes." She squealed. I held up two dresses, the first, red with a black lace layer on top, the second was a short gray dress that clung to all of my curves when I wore it.

She pointed to the gray one and I slipped it on, along with a pair of silver heels with rhinestones on the toe. Lissa went off to find Chrstian, and I went to meet Adrian near the gates. He pulled up, in a small black Porsche.

"Nice car." I said, opening the door and got into the passenger's seat.

"Nice dress." He commented, kissing me lightly on the lips.

I had a stake strapped to my leg under the dress, so we would be safe if a Strigoi attacked.

Adrian drove for about twenty minutes and then he pulled into a small restaurant. The valet parking people took Adrian's keys, and he led me into the retaurant.

The hostess was a tall human, and she seemed very interested when Adrian walked in. "Reservation under Ivashkov, for two." I clung unto his arm, as if to claim him as mine. The hostess got the message and she led us to our table. Adrian pulled out my chair for me, and I sat down. We ordered our food, (I got this ravioli thing) and we waited for it to come.

"Rose I brought you here to ask you something." He said to me right after our food came.

"What did you want to ask me?"

"Rose, I love you so much, and I want to be with you forever. I want you to be mine."

He slid out of his chair and got onto one knee. Oh god.

"I know we haven't been dating for long, but I wanted to ask you because I feel like I've known you forever, and I want you to be mine so badly. I want you to be my wife, and I want to father your children." He paused. "Rosemarie Hathaway, will you marry me?"

Only a two words came to mind, and those words were "Hell yes."


	17. Chapter 16

FINALLY! I'm in Utah!

Chapter 16

"_Hell yes." _I'd never thought he would have asked tonight, but I felt I was ready to commit to him. I loved him, and he loved me, we were together, as we would be for years to come, so why not make it official?

He kissed me, and most of the restaurant clapped.

"I don't want to rush things, so I don't want you to marry me until we're both ready. In a couple months, or years, I don't care, I'll wait." He explained. "We don't even have to tell people if you don't want to."

He slid the ring he held out into my finger. There were three stones. The center one, the biggest, was a polished piece of Emerald the stone was the color of his eyes, bright green. There were two other stones, both smaller diamonds on either side. It was all set in a simple silver band.

"Its beautiful." I murmured, staring at it.

"It's nothing next to you."

"Oh be quiet Adrian. And I'll tell a few people, and I'll wear the ring. I love you."

"I love you more." He said.

"Enough to let me drive the Porsche?"

"I'll get the bill, you get the car." He said, and he called the waitress to pay.

I went to the valet parking to get the car.

Adrian soon walked out of the building, grinning.

He opened his door and slid onto the seat, Turning me in my seat so he could kiss me.

I revved the engine and pushed down on the accelerator, and the car shot forward smoothly. Smiling, I pulled onto the highway towards the school. "You know I love this car right? I might not let you have it back."

He chuckled. "You can have it."

"WHAT?" I almost screamed.

"I said you could have it."

"Oh my god ADRIAN!"I squealed.

"Consider it a late birthday present." He was smiling so widely, as was I.

"You gave me a birthday present."

He responded simply, "I like making you happy." I pulled over to the side of the road and basically attacked him, kissing and hugging him.

"I love you." I said.

"He pulled back slightly to stare at me. "How did I get so lucky as to have this gorgeous, sexy, smart, funny, bad-ass woman as my fiancée?"

"Because I love you." I stated simple, staring at my ring as I held the steering wheel. "And because you gave me this car." I added jokingly.

He grinned. "I'm assuming you don't want to get married until at least after graduation."

"Yup, but I do want to marry you then, so maybe we can have one of those romantic beach weddings…"

"Or we could go to Vegas." He suggested.

I'd actually always pictures myself getting married in Vegas, if I got married at all. I slapped his arm. "Don't kill my beach wedding."

"Whatever you want." He leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. I nearly missed the turn for the academy,

I pulled up to the gates, and we verified that we weren't Strigoi, and we pulled into the parking lot. Adrian opened the door for me and I slid out of the seat. "Thank you." I said to him. "Goodbye baby." I blew the car a kiss.

Adrian groaned. "Maybe I shouldn't have given it to you."

"She is not an 'it'!" I said, cracking up.

He pulled me towards my dorm.

"You need to go to sleep." He said as we entered my room.

"But Adrian." I said, sliding off my jacket and pulling him close to me. "I don't want to sleep." He pulled me towards the bed.

* * *

"NO WAY!" Lissa screamed. "HE DID NOT ASK YOU TO MARRY HIM!"

"Lissa SHUT UP!" I covered her mouth with my hand. "I don't want the whole world to know!"

"Oh my god I am so happy for you two!" She said, pulling my hand off her face.

She grabbed my hand so she could look at the ring. "Its beautiful." She said, and I decided it was time to tell her everything.

"Lissa, I have to tell you something…"

"What is it Rose?"

"Um I never told you who I lost my virginity to…"

"Wait… What? Isn't it Adrian?"

"No." I looked down at my hands. "It was Dimitri."

She looked utterly shocked. Like her mouth was open, and her eyes were wide. "You didn't tell me?"

"I couldn't tell anyone. He could have lost his job, and I might not be able to become your guardian, and it would have ruined everything. I am so sorry I never told you."

"Dimitri? Really? Wow it all makes sense now, you shouldn't have been that upset when he left…"

She hugged me. "I wish you would have told me, but I know everything now right?"

"Nope, one more thing." I paused. "I originally started dating Adrian to get Dimitri jealous."

She laughed, like downright laughed. "Really?"

"Yup. But I love him now, and we're getting married in a couple years."

"Oh that's so cute!"

I grinned. "I'm hungry lets go."

"Can we stop at the feeders first?" Lissa asked.

"Sure." We walked over to the feeders and Lissa got Alice to feed off again.

"Why hello Princess, and Rose." She greeted us.

Lissa lowered her motuh to Alice's neck and started to drink. _So, Dimitri, really?_

"Yeah, and Dimitri and I were pretty in love."

_I should have realized…_

"You couldn't have, we were really careful about what we did in public. If I''d gotten pregnant, now that would have been a dead giveaway."

Lissa finished and we walked to the cafeteria. But as we passed the curtain next to us, guess who was feeding next to us? Jesse Zeklos. And he had heard everything.

* * *

"Adrian!" I caught up to him in the line for breakfast.

He turned around to grin at me. I hugged him. "Hello almost Mrs. Ivashkov." He whispered in my ear.

"We have a problem."

"With what?" He grabbed a bagel and I grabbed a doughnut.

"I told Lissa everything about Dimitri and I." We sat down, and I leaned across the table so I could speak quietly. "And Jesse overheard."

"When?"

"This morning, in the feeders, we didn't realize he was there. But he only heard my half of the conversation."

"What did that consist of."

"The fact I loved him and the fact that we had sex."

He sighed. "You should be more careful Rose, I can't always help you with problems like this, but in this situation, I can." He stood up and strode over to Jesse's table. They walked off a couple moments later.

Adrian came back a minute later. "What did you do?"

"A little bribery, a little blackmail. You'll be fine."

"Thank you Adrian." I said, leaning across the table to kiss him on the lips."

"But Rose, it looks like that isn't our only problem."

"What is it?"

He gestured to the girls a couple tables over, and I saw one of their mouths form the word 'engaged'.


	18. Chapter 17

If someone told my best friend she thought I was a bitch, and my best friend told me, should the person who thought I was a bitch get mad at my best friend? I;m thinking no, because I tell my best friend everything, and so does she!

Chapter 17

"Rumor has it he proposed last night…" The girl said to her friend.

"Even after she slept with all of those guys?" I stopped listening. Throwing my food in the trash, I grabbed Adrian and pulled him outside with me.

"What the hell is wrong with them?" I vented to him.

"Well they have low self esteem-" Starting the 4th grade health textbook reason of why people gossiped.

"Don't you dare say they want to make themselves feel better." I interrupted him.

He laughed and pulling me closer to him and tipping my head up so I could look into his green eyes. "Don't let it bother you." He said into my ear. "Do you want a distraction?" He trailed his lips from my ear to my lips, and kissed me softly.

"I would love a distraction." He pulled me behind the building and kissing me again.

Someone walked behind us a moment later, and there was a hand on my shoulder. Lissa. "Can I talk to you guys for a minute?" She pulled us over to where Christian and Eddie stood.

_They deserve to know. _She thought to me. I glared at her. I can't choose for myself apparently…

"Adrian we're going to tell them." I whispered to him.

"Hey guys!" I greeted them. "Adrian and I have some news."

"There isn't going to be a little _him_ walking around is there?" Christian said, gesturing towards Adrian.

"No." He answered. "But Rose and I are getting married after graduation."

Shocked didn't cover the look on their faces. "Yes Christian, so you better pop the question to Lissa soon." I smirkedq at how speechless he was.

* * *

Ok so all I was doing was walking down the hall, when a certain ex-boyfriend of mine pulled me into an empty classroom.

"Pushy much?" I muttered. Then louder, I said "Why are you still here? I thought you were leaving yesterday."

"Would you like to tell me something Rose?"

"Would you like to answer my question?" I replied coldly.

"Tasha wanted to stay for another week. Now do you want to tell me something?" He was right in my face, a little closer than comfortable.

"There is nothing I _want_ to tell you Gaurdian Belikov."

He scoffed, and grabbed my hand. Pulling my hand up to my face, he asked, ""What is this?"

"A ring?"

"And who gave you this ring?"

"Why the hell do you care?" I spat. He glared at me. "Fine. Adrian."

"And why did he give you this ring?"

"Because he was much braver than you were and asked me to marry him."

"You know why I couldn't ask you to marry me." He said, his voice getting softer.

"Adrian shouldn't have asked me either! I'm not suited for him at all. I'm a dhampir, Dimitri, and he's a Royal Moroi! Dhampirs and Moroi just don't get married."

"But two Dhampirs is even more forbidden." He said.

"I love Adrian, and he loves me, and we're getting married." I turned to leave the room, but before I could he grabbed my arm and kissed me. He kissed me for a moment, before reality came crashing down on me. I pulled back and pushed him away. "Dimitri! I'm engaged." I ran out before he could say anything else, tears starting to pour out of my eyes.

I ran into Adrian in the hall, like really ran into him. I started to fall backwards, but he caught me. "Hey." He noticed the tears leaking from my eyes, "What's wrong baby?" He asked.

He pulled me to the side of the hall, letting me stain his shirt with tears. When the tears finally slowed, he leaned down and looked me in the eyes. "Who's ass am I kicking?"

"No one's." I said. "Sorry about that Adrian."

"No problem. That's one of the reasons I'm here isn't it?"

* * *

"Adrian?" I said as I was about to fall asleep that night.

"Yes Rose?"

"Dimitri kissed me." I was half asleep, my head against his chest, so it was jarring when he sat abruptly upright. "But I pushed him away. I-" I stuttered.

"I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at him." His voice was hard, and strained. He tried to get out of the bed, but I pushed him down.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To kick his ass."

"No you aren't." I kissed him, long and passionate. "See, we all just need to calm down." I kissed him again.

"Ugh Rose, why do you have to do this to me?"

"Because I'm your fiancée."

"I love it when you say that."

"See, nothing to worry about. Lets just go to bed ok?"

ADRAIN'S POV

I walked down the hall in search of Rose. I got halfway down before she ran into me. I caught her from falling. "Hey." I looked at her beautiful face and saw one of those rare tears fall down from her eye. "What's wrong baby?" I asked, rubbing her back as she cried into my chest.

I pulled her towards the side of the hallway so we weren't in the middle of everyone going where they needed to go. Finally she stopped crying and we made eye contact. Her brown eyes were red from the tears. Whoever made her cry like this had to pay. "Who's ass am I kicking?"

"No one's." Her voice soft. "Sorry about that Adrian." She apologized.

"No problem." I told her. "Isn't that why I'm here?"

* * *

She was falling asleep when she said, "Adrian?"

"Yes Rose?" I asked her. Her head was resting on my chest, and I hugged her closer to me.

"Dimitri kissed me." She was on the edge of falling asleep, and her voice reflected that. Wait… WHAT? I sat up, and then she was sitting in my lap. "But I pushed him away. I-" She was wide awake now.

I cut her off. "I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at him." I tried to get up, but Rose, being the fighter she was, pushed me down on the bed.

"Where are you going?" She asked me.

"To kick his ass." I answered.

"No you aren't." She kissed me. "See, we all just need to calm down." She kissed me again, giving me her most seductive smile.

I groaned. "Ugh Rose, why do you have to do this to me?"

"Because I'm your fiancée." She said.

"I _love_ it when you say that."

"See, nothing to worry about. Lets just go to bed ok?" She tried to calm me down, but tomorrow morning I was going to give that Guardian a piece of my mind.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Rose's POV

I didn't sleep much that night. I woke up at least three times before I finally gave up an sleep. I had to make a plan to keep Adrian away from Dimitri. Lets face it; Dimitri could kill Adrian in less than a minute (but I would never tell Adrian that).

In the middle of the night, I could come up with a lot of ideas, but I had to rule out the ones that included me staying here (I had class) and the ones that included hurting of tying up Adrian (wasn't the point so Adrian didn't get hurt?), which didn't leave me with many options.

I finally settled for the easy option. I called Eddie to guard the door before his classes started (he had a study hall first period), and I'd locked the door just in case he had to leave. Several other novices would guard the door at different times of the day. I grabbed his keys and stuffed them in my packet. I kissed Adrian on the forehead, and slipped out into the hallway.

It wasn't much, but it was the best I could do at the moment.

* * *

Adrian's POV

Rose had planned on me trying to leave the room this morning. I quickly grabbed my spare key from under my mattress and unlocked the door to find Eddie stationed in the hallway.

"Hey Ed." He was wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He was holding a tattered book, as if he had read it a hundred times.

"Adrian." He nodded.

I leaned against the doorframe. "So Eddie, Rose called you this morning?" I asked.

"Ummm…" He paused. "Yeah." He looked uncomfortable. "You see, the thing is… I'm not allowed to let you leave."

"Alright." I would wait until he had to go to class. You might wonder why I wasn't worried about that Guardian Belikov really hurting me… well he couldn't. I'm the queen's favorite nephew, and if he wants to keep his job, he won't hurt me.

I soon heard Eddie leaving the door, and I knew I had about five minutes. I grabbed my keys so I could get back in and I walked out the door.

I found him in one of the practice rooms.

He turned to face me, and grimaced. "Lord Ivashkov." He said.

"How dare you kiss her." I said, glaring at him. He was a couple inches taller than me, and I knew, if he tried to take the offense, I would stand no chance against him. "You didn't hear the news?" I asked. "We're getting married."

But he didn't try to defend himself as I punched him in the face. I could see the anger boiling inside him, his hands balled into fists, as if he was about to punch me back, but he was trying not to let that anger come out.

"Stop!" Someone screamed, and I turned. Rose stood in the door, gasping for breath. Her dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail, which was swinging behind her. The look on her face was one of extreme worry, and she had a panicked look in her eyes. Her eyes swept the room, from me, to Dimitri, to Dimitri's fists clenched at his sides.

That's when I felt his fist connect with my jaw. The pain spread through me and I heard Rose gasp.

* * *

ROSE POV (sorry for the switching so much)

"Rose!" Another novice called to me. "He's gone!"

"Damn." I sprinted towards the gym, where I knew Dimitri spent most of his days. "How dare you kiss her." I recognized Adrian's voice. "You didn't hear the news? We're getting married."

_Adrian! Don't!_ I wanted to scream.

"Stop!" I screamed, stopping at the door. I was gasping for breath. But I could only watch as Dimitri punch Adrian in the jaw. Adrian tried to defend himself, but he'd never fought a day in his life, so it wasn't the best attempt I'd ever seen. Dimitri managed to pull Adrian down to the floor before I could get to them.

I ran over and pulled Adrian out of the way. Dimitri was really angry, and I started fighting him. I landed a few good kicks, and a couple punches, before I pulled him down, as he had with Adrian. He struggled to get up. "Do you know how much trouble that will get you in Dimitri? You injured a royal Moroi!" I looked down at him, and saw the lust in his eyes. "Dimitri. I love Adrian. We were never going to work out anyway." I punched him in the jaw one more time, to enforce my point, before getting up to go over to Adrian. "Are you alright?" I asked, searching for any signs of damage.

"I'm fine." He assured me, rubbing at his jaw where Dimitri had punched him. "I'll be a little sore, but I'll be fine.

"You have to listen to me more often." I told him, glaring back towards Dimitri, who was still laying on the ground looking up at the ceiling, probably lost in thought. He had a hard expression on his face. Adrian's arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me along, and we walked out of the room together. I almost wanted to go and lay next to Dimitri. Almost.

Adrian and I passed through the small crowd that had gathered at my screaming for them to stop. This really wouldn't help the rumors.

Lissa caught up with us as I was walking with Adrian back to our room. "Oh my god." She said. "He didn't k-kill you?" She was staring at Adrian in disbelief.

"No, he didn't. Luckily." I said.

"Hey!" Adrian said. "I put up a pretty good fight."

"Sure you did baby." I said, rubbing his arm and kissing him on his cheek.

"I did!"

"I never said you didn't, Adrian." I grinned, and we all walked back to the guest housing.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19.

I woke up next to Adrian the next morning, my alarm blaring at me. I threw it under the bed, but that only muffled the beeping.

Adrian had a bruise forming on his jaw, and one on the side of his body. "Adrian." I said, shaking him.

He groaned. "Five more minutes."

"Nope. You said you wanted to be up when I got up. So get your ass out of bed."

"Rose! Five more minutes… no, make that ten."

"Fine. I must resort to plan B." I sat down on his side of the bed, and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Still, he wasn't out of bed, though he was awake now. I got up and pulled my pajama shirt slowly over my head. He hadn't noticed, his eyes closed. I tossed it over to the bed, where it landed on his face. His eyes opened, and he saw me standing there, shirtless, my hands on my hips. He sat up in bed, coming over to pull me close.

"Nope. You didn't get up!" I hit him lightly and pulled away.

"Tease." He muttered.

I grabbed my clothes and changed in the walk in closet.

When I walked out, Adrian was looking through the contents of his dresser, trying to find something. He looked up at me, and I could see his eyes run over my black wedges and jeans to my green halter-top.

"Can't you stay here today?" He asked, grabbing me by the waist and kissing my lips softly.

"I have school." He groaned as I pulled away from him. "I'll be back later." I told him.

"I'll see you tonight baby."

"If you're lucky." I was about to turn when he caught my waist.

He brought his lips to my ear, "I'm feeling very lucky." he whispered.

* * *

I didn't see Dimitri anywhere. Maybe he'd left with Tasha, maybe he'd gotten in trouble with the guardians. I didn't really care.

Lissa slipped her arm through mine. "Hey." Her smile was brilliant. "What's up?" She asked.

"Nothing much. Adrian is still alive." Her grin slowly got smaller.

"Rose," She paused. "He's at the royal court right now, talking to the guardian council. Word spreads fast." She was talking about Dimitri.

I stopped dead. "Really?" I paused. "Already?"

"He's in a hell of a lot of trouble. Hurting a Moroi is a crime worthy of at least a year of jail time."

"Ahh… serves him right to be in trouble, though he shouldn't be in jail for that."

"You never told me why it happened." She muttered, pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"Dimitri kissed me." I muttered under my breath.

"What?" She said, disbelieving.

"He kissed me. I told Adrian, and he was really pissed off."

"Really pissed off." She repeated slowly. "I'm just glad you got there in time. If Dimitri had done anything major, or… well if anything happened to Adrian, things would be worse off for Dimitri than they already are."

I understood her point. She didn't want anything to happen to Dimitri. They were friends, and she didn't want to see him in pain or discomfort. In a way, you could say she loved him as she loved everything and everyone.

And as much as I resented him for past events, I couldn't help but feel the same way.

* * *

Sitting in class later, I was completely zoning out. I didn't have a clue what she was talking about… At all. So when she said. "Your trials have been scheduled for tomorrow." I only noticed because the room suddenly became really nervous. They always told us last minute so it would be more like real life; and we still had some time to practice. "There will be two parts. The physical fighting part, and the written test section." Oh god. Come on!

I leaned over to Eddie, who was sitting next to me. "How unfair is that?" I asked.

"That's bad." He responded. "I'm not good at written tests. They really should have told us."

"Definitely."

The teacher gave up on teaching for the end of class and let us out five minutes early. "This means everyone will be so nervous tonight… no practice space in the gym." I considered, "I'm gonna get to a practice room early. I'll save it, so bring a few other people, we can all practice." I told Eddie and some of his friends that came up next to him.

"Thanks Rose." Eddie said. "I'll see you later."

Today was the one day of the week where I missed last period (I had a study hall) to train with Dimitri. Obviously, this would not be happening today, so I stopped by Alberta's office to see what I should do.

"Well Rose." She said "Because of yesterday's incident, guardian Belikov is at the royal court. Jut go and do solo training in the gym. It should be full later, so you can get a head start."

"Ok, sure." I changed and went outside to start running my laps. By the time I was done, there were a few people running laps too. I slipped into a practice room, and flipped on the light switch. Grabbing my gloves (I'd cut my knuckles so many times, I'd started to remember to bring them) and started staking practice dummies. I'd killed about three when Eddie and his friends came in. I remembered one was named Connor, another was named Alex. I didn't know the other two, but he introduced them as Luke and Scott.  
"April and Violet are coming." He told me. They were two other girl novices, twins, who had transferred here from another school a couple of months ago, along with Luke and Scott. It was some weird exchange program. They were all pretty good gaurdians.

Luke and Alex began to fight each other at one side of the room, and Scott and Connor closer to us. Scott won, and challenged me. I quickly pulled up my hair, and we started to fight. With two punches and one kick under his legs, I had him on the ground. He had really underestimated me. My hand was poised over his heart, as if I was going to stake him, and He tried to get out of my grasp, but couldn't.

I pulled back after a moment, and helped him up. I then fought Connor, who knew how I fought better than Scott did. Connor was good, and it took me a little while before I could take the offence and kick him. By then time I had him pinned, April and Violet had come in. They greeted us, and started with the practice dummies.

"Ok Eddie, you ready?" I asked him as I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"As ready as I'll ever be." He muttered, but he took his position across from me. He was the first one to land a blow, and it was hard. I stumbled back several feet before I got my balance back and went on the offence. We were a good match for fighting. I managed to pull him to the ground, but I couldn't hold him long enough to get my 'stake' in my hand to his heart.

By the time he pinned me down, I was getting frustrated with myself. I pushed up, hard, and managed to throw him off me and put my stake over his heart, and teeth over his neck. "You're dead." I said as I stood up.

"Oh come on! Rematch?"

"Rose Hathaway doesn't play rematches."

"You do when you loose…" He mumbled. I pushed him, and we fought again.


	21. Chapter 20

**Ok, so a piece of advice: if you are having a shampoo war with a friend, (Yes I know I'm a misfit.) don't get deodorant in their eye. They will never forgive you. On with the chapter:**

Chapter 20

Adrian tried to calm me down the next morning. Lets just say it didn't work. "Adrian! My life and career all depend on _THIS_ DAY! You are just _not_ going to calm me down." I practically screamed at him.

"Ok! Sorry!" He wrapped his arm around my jacket-covered torso. We were all required to wear the guardian uniform so we would get used to fighting in it. "But you will do great."

"I don't want to be great." I said. "I want to be perfect."

"Who knew Rose Hathaway was the perfectionist?"

I slapped him lightly on the arm. "Shut up!"

He smiled, knowing he had calmed me down a little. He held the door to the gym open for me, and I stepped inside. They had set up a couple of tables, and different guardians sat behind each one, giving people the times their physical test would occur and what room they had to take the written test in. Adrian kissed me on the cheek. "This is when I leave."

I quickly pulled him into a hug, and he tipped me chin up to kiss me lightly on the lips. "Good luck." He murmured.

He pulled away and walked out the door. _Ok, Rose. You can do this_. I stepped up to the nearest table, where Stan was sitting with a bunch of sheets of paper. "Rose Hathaway…" he muttered, looking for my name.

"Good morning to you too." I replied.

"Ah here!" He ignored my comment. "You are the first fighting against Guardian Petrov." I mentally cursed my bad luck. "And you are taking the test right after in the Biology lab."

"Thanks." I went to find Lissa, who was taking her final exams today.

"Hey Liss!"

"Hey Rose!" Her hair was pulled into a sleek bun, and she was wearing a white bubble skirt and pink tank top. She looked beautiful and ready, compared to me. I had my guardian's uniform on, but my hair was a mess. I hadn't bothered with makeup, and to make it short, I looked like I had just rolled out of bed.

She started smoothing out my hair, trying to get it to sit flat. "Liss, don't bother. It will just get messed up again when I fight Alberta in a few minutes."

"Fine. Good luck. I have to get to my test." She squeezed my hand and took off, catching up with Christian and linking her arm through his.

I walked into the gym where I would be fighting, and started stretching my arms.

"Hey." Violet greeted me from behind. April was behind her, starching her calves and counting the seconds softly to herself. "I am so nervous."

"Same." We all started running around the gym. "I feel like I am gonna fail this. I feel so unprepared."

"You? You are the best in the class. If you fail, we all will." April said.

"Thanks, but you guys are great. I guess I'm just scared. All of my life depends on this day, and well… I'm not usually like this. I'm just really freaked out."

"Calm down." Violet assured me. "You are going to do great. We'll be cheering for you." She said, and we parted ways.

I stood in the center of the gym, waiting. "Hey Rose." A voice said from behind me.

"Wha-" I turned, and saw Adrian. "What are you doing here?"

"Some guardian caught up with me and asked me if I would be willing to be the person you are supposed to be protecting. They were short on Moroi, so I said I would do it." He explained.

I heard someone clear their throat. "Ready?" Alberta asked.

"Sure." I stood in front of Adrian, and she attacked. She landed a blow in the gut, and I countered by hitting her while her balance was off. She stumbled backward, and I hit her with a solid kick. Then, out of nowhere, there were four more guardians attacking. "Shit." I got the first down after a minute, 'staking' them and moving on to keep Adrian from being captured. I kicked the first one, who's face I couldn't make out, really hard, sending them flying backward. I could vaguely hear people cheering for me from a little ways away, but I couldn't focus on that. I punched, and 'staked' Alberta. I killed two of them easily by kicking them then knocking their legs out from under their bodies. Out of nowhere, a guardian tackles me, and I'm pinned under him. I manage to get a hard enough hit in the face, and he is startled enough so I can get him off me and stake him. Once he was 'dead' I collapsed next to him.

That's when I smelled it. Dimitri's aftershave. "Dimitri?" I ask.

"Yes Roza?" He's breathing heavily.

"Wha- Why are you here?"

"They let me off easy. I'm on probation. And by the way, that was remarkable."

"Thanks comrade." I said before Adrian helps me up and hugs me.

"Amazing." He murmured into my hair.

Alberta managed to pick herself up, and comes over. "Nice job Rose. You get an A."

* * *

Apparently, April had her camera with her, and had recorded the whole thing, and showed it to her sister, who, being the social person she was, went and told everyone. And I mean EVERYONE. So now everybody had seen the video by the time I was done with the written part of my test and had changed out of my uniform, all of the novices had seen it, and some of the Moroi too.

"Awesome job Rose!" Alex called to me in the hall.

Yeah! That was so cool!" Called another novice.

"ROSE!" Lissa screamed, grabbing me into a hug from behind.

"Let me guess… April showed you the video."

"Of course she did!" She squealed. "And I am so proud of you!"

"Um, thanks?"

She grinned. "We need to celebrate."

As we were walking down the hallway, Adrian came up and laced my fingers through his. "Yes we do need to celebrate." He added. 'For you doing amazing in your trials, and for Lissa doing well on her finals."

"How'd you-" Lissa started.

"You always do well on your finals." I interrupted her. "Its not that hard to figure out that you did well again." She grinned, and we all got soft serve from the macine in the cafeteria. Mine was chocolate with Oreos and hot fudge. Ahh… sweet chocolate.


	22. Chapter 21

**Ok, so originally, this story was 18 chapters… so I am very happy that it has reached 21 and they haven't even graduated yet! Anyway, if you want me to do a sequel, please say that in your review. I love all of you guys! Thanks for reading.**

Chapter 21

Lissa's celebration consisted of three things: Legally Blonde, three tubs of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, and two spoons. "God I love her outfit." Lissa mumbled, pointing at the screen as Elle walked out of the nail salon. It was about three in the morning, and because we didn't have class tomorrow, pretty much everyone was still awake. Lissa, on the other hand, was half asleep.

"It's a little… _pink_ for my taste, but its nice…" I said, scooping another bite of ice cream out of the 'Half Baked' container.

Lissa was out before the movie was over. Really, that girl cannot stay up past three thirty. I put all of the ice cream in her bag, ejected the movie, and pretty much carried her to her room.

I laid her in her bed and pulled off her shoes. I felt like a mother helping their preschooler into bed. I pulled the blankets over her and left her bad next to the bed.

"Night Lissa." I said as I closed the boor behind myself. When I got to my room, Adrian was sitting on my bed. "Creepy much?" I asked.

"Nah, just got bored."

"Aren't you always bored?" I asked, dropping my keys on the desk and grabbing my brush. I quickly untangled through my hair and pulled it into a high ponytail. I sat cross-legged across from Adrian.

"No, I'm never bored when you're around Little Dhampir." I sat in his lap and rested my head against his chest. We talked until I fell asleep.

"Hey!" Adrian greeted me in my dream that night.

"Hey Adrian." I pecked him on the lips. "What do you want to do tonight?"

"I don't know. How about you?"

"Can you conjure up Six Flags Great Adventure? Because I have always wanted to ride King da Ka."

"Whatever you want." He snapped his fingers and the scenery changed to a crowded amusement park. It was midday, and the sun shone brightly.

"Wow. Is this live?"

"Yeah. Pretty cool, right? I've been working on it for a while. They can't see us though."

"This is so cool!" I exclaimed staring up at the neon green roller coaster towering above us. "Can we ride it?" I asked in awe.

Laughing, he grabbed my arm and pulled me through the line. We sat in the front row. The bars lowered around us, and I glanced at Adrian. You scared? His expression asked. I shook my head. "This is gonna be awesome." I said.

"Yup. And… three," he started counting down, "two, one."

We shot out of the loading area, and we were going really fast (I think it's something like 135 mph). I found Adrian's hand and squeezed it. We headed up to the top of the tallest roller coaster in the world, and stopped for a second at the top. The view was incredible. I could see the water park, Hurricane Harbor, all of the parking lot, and the rest of the park. Everyone screamed as we went over the edge of the hill, and I could hear Adrian laughing. We spiraled all the way to the bottom, where we stopped abruptly. I felt my head hit the headrest, and I sighed.

"Content?" Adrian asked, taking my hand and helping me out of the car.

"It was awesome." My heart was still racing, and Adrian's hair was all messy from the wind.

"You should have seen your face. It was hilarious!" He told me, as we walked the next roller coaster. This one had lots of loops and smaller hills, but nothing could match King da Ka.

"You want to go to Hurricane Harbor?" Adrian asked.

"Duh!" I said, and we walked over to the entrance. After walking in without paying (thank you dream-walking) Adrian touched my shoulder, and my clothing turned into a black and neon splatter painted bikini. Red swim trunks appeared on him. We made our way over to the wave pool, where we sat in the water waiting for a big wave.

The signal went off, and Adrian and I sprung up. I was standing backwards when the wave hit, sending me flying into Adrian, and sending him back into the pool. He grinned as he sat up, and kissed me on the lips. Lets just say it's a good thing we were invisible to the humans, because the parents wouldn't want their children seeing us.

"Rose-" Adrian started to say before I was snapped out of the dream. My eyes flashed open quickly to the sound of shouts.

"Buria!" Someone screamed. "They said to say buria!"

"Adrian." I shook him. "Adrian!" He sat up to face me. "Buria." Was all I had to say. He got it.

I pulled him up and we ran out of the room. I met the anxious eyes of April.

"What does it mean?" She asked softly. "I said it, and they all ran."

"It means storm. There's Strigoi on campus."

* * *

Lets just say most people were freaking out.

"Adrian. I need to go out there and fight." I said, trying to pull out of his grasp on my arm.

"No."

"Adrian!"

"I can't loose you."

"You won't." I stood on my tiptoes to be at eyelevel with him. "Didn't you see me earlier?" He didn't respond. "I can do this."

"But-"

"Adrian I have to. There are too many strigoi for only the guardians." I broke his grasp. "Keep him here, April." I took the stake that was handed to me, and headed out the back entrance, Adrian's stare boring into my back. I took a deep breath, and stepped outside.

Things didn't look great. There were far to few guardians and way to many strigoi. People were fighting as hard as they could, and many were falling. I quickly jumped into a fight with one of the other guardians and distracted the strigoi long enough for the other guardian to stake them. We both ran off to find another fight.

"Rose!" I heard a voice call. A voice that scared me so much, not because of who they were, but because of where they were. Lissa. Lissa was standing in the middle of several fights, and right before my very eyes, one of the guardian's I hadn't known fell, giving the strigoi an opening to attack Lissa. I ran as fast as I could towards them.

But I wasn't fast enough.


	23. Chapter 22

**Can we try for 100 reviews? I'll try to update faster if I get 8 more reviews! Also, please vote in my poll. It is about what will happen in the sequel, because there are maybe 5 more chapters left! *cries***

Chapter 22

I saw the strigoi bite down on her neck when I was about halfway to her. I ran faster, as fast as I could, toward her, and knocked them off a couple seconds after, staking them in one swift movement from behind. "Lissa?" I said, shaking her. "Liss?" I picked her up and started toward the building. She lay unconscious in my arms, her neck red with blood.

I sensed the heat before I saw the flames. I stopped dead in my tracks, and looked up to see the moroi dorms circled in flames. The strigoi wouldn't be able to get through. The problem was: neither could I.

I ran around the perimeter to see if there was a break in the flames. Which of course there wasn't. I could see about 15 moroi on the roof, controlling the flames. Christian was there, as well as some of the other seniors and a few water users. "Christian!" I yelled up to him. "HELLO? I HAVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND!"

This didn't work, so I checked the area for any threats. None. I laid Lissa on the ground, picked up a small stone, and chucked it as hard as I could at his head. "CHRISTIAN!"

I missed, but as it flew past his head, she turned to see me. He shouted a couple words that I couldn't make out, and a small path came out of the wall of flames. I quickly crossed into it, and the wall quickly reformed behind me.

Inside the dorm, everyone was freaking out. The fact I came in with an injured moroi princess didn't really help that much.

"Oh. My. God." I turned to find Camille.

"Is Adrian here?" I asked her. She nodded, still horrified at Lissa. "Where?" She pointed up. The roof.

I started up the stairs, and found Christian hurrying down. He looked terrified. "Adrian. We need Adrian." I said, and he followed me silently, keeping up easily, his eyes never leaving Lissa.

"Adrian?" He called out when we got to the top. He came over from where he was directing a few sophomores on where to keep the flames. I put Lissa down in front of him, and sat down next to her, pulling my knees up to my chest.

"Shit." He muttered, kneeling next to Lissa and putting one hand on the wounds on her neck. He laid the other hand on my knee, and I felt the energy surge through me. I wasn't tired or sore anymore, and all of the scratches and burns on me had faded. "Thanks, Adrian." I said, picking up his hand and pushing him towards Lissa. "She needs it, not me."

"She'll be up in a couple minutes." Adrian said, standing up. "She'll be fine."

"Thanks." Christian said, not looking at Adrian. I could tell he was going to stay at her side until she woke up. I grabbed Adrian's hand and pulled him towards the edge so we could see what was going on below.

"You should have someone distract strigoi with fire when a guardian looks like they're in trouble." I noticed that he looked a tired, drained. "Adrian, you need a feeder."

"They don't have any in this building." He answered, his eyes on the battle below.

"You have me."

"No Rose." He looked down at me. "No. They need you out in the fight."

"They'll manage. This wall of fire is limiting the strigoi, and keeping the moroi safe. Soon, your fire users won't be able to keep it up anymore. You're going to need to give them their energy back. There's no other way Adrian." I brushed my hair back, away from my neck, and tilted my head.

"Rose, I can't…"

"Yes, you can. Do it for everyone. Do it for me. Please?" I gave him my best pleading look.

He sighed, and then bent down to my neck. Pain, then bliss filled me. I couldn't tell how long he drank from be before he pulled back. I was dizzy. He helped me sit down against the wall, and kissed my forehead. He walked over to give the others energy, and I put my head between my knees. The world around me still hadn't focused, and I was really tired.

Lissa came over; having just woke up, and sat next to me. She touched my hand with her index finger, and I felt the magic pulse through me.

We were both equally strong now, and I helped her up. She hurried over to help Adrian. It was pretty bad down there, and I needed to help. I went over to one of the fire using moroi. "Can you open up the wall when I need to get out?" They nodded, and I headed down the stairs

"Rose!" I heard April yell. "I'm coming with you." I held the door open for her, and I saw the fire part just slightly so we could get through. She seemed hesitant, but followed me through. Things weren't going well, so I got into a fight where three strigoi were against one guardian. I staked two, and the other guardian staked the third.

"ROSE!" I heard someone yell. I turned, and saw Adrian on the top of the building, and even from this distance, I could tell something was wrong. Something hard hit me on the back of the head. All I saw was blackness.

**ADRIAN'S POV**

The strigoi hit her. Her aura went dark as she fell. "Christian!" He rushed over and saw the problem. Fire surrounded the strigoi, and it screamed for help. Rose still laid there, motionless. Lissa was behind me, pulling me backward.

"Let me see." She pushed closer to the edge. Her eyes widened as she muttered "Shit." She turned to me. "Do you remember what we worked on last time we were practicing?"

"Yeah… but we can't do that, it takes too much energy."

"But we can try." She insisted. "If we try it together, maybe it will work." She held out her hand, and I took it, holding on tight. "I'll give you my energy. You were better at it than I was." I reached out as if to touch Rose, and I felt all of Lissa's power come through me. I directed it through the air, towards Rose. I closed my eyes and felt the power flow through me, concentrating on healing her.

Christian tapped me on the shoulder. "I think it worked…" I opened my eyes, just to see Rose getting up and running to help another guardian, whose name I didn't know. I turned to Lissa, who was grinning a weak smile. She squeezed my hand, and I send a little energy to her. She ran over to help Christian.

Watching the love of your life fight and almost get killed every couple of minutes isn't really fun. But she was helping take down a lot of strigoi. Slowly, very slowly, the strigoi numbers started to drop, and people were getting more motivated. Rose was so graceful when she fought, her blows landing perfectly, and her stake lashing out every so often.

She killed one more strigoi, and another, and another, I could tell she was running on pure adrenaline. She fought her way over to the other girl whose name was April I remembered, and together they brought down the last two strigoi. Rose looked up at me, a smug smirk on her face. 'Told you I could do it.' she mouthed.


	24. Chapter 23

Thanks for the awesome reviews! Special shout out to jazzdapsycho, who was my 100th review! Thanks! Its kind-of a filler chapter… Sorry I'm a procrastinator, but please vote in my poll!

Chapter 23

"Rose!" I heard Adrian call out. I turned, and was almost knocked over as he hugged me and kissed my forehead.

"How-" I started.

"Lissa and I have been working on it." He interrupted me, planting a quick kiss on my lips. "Distance healing. Lisa read about it and we've been working on it for a while. You've been training so often lately, you never noticed Lissa and I were practicing." He hugged me again. "I can't believe it worked."

"Maybe you really have to want it." I suggested. Lissa and Christian appeared, and were hugging me. I didn't dare say anything about any of my injuries; they had done far too much already. "Um… I think I have to get to… um I gotta go." I said, and I dashed away, leaving them talking about offensive magic and spirit's uses. When I got to the clinic, there was a line out the door. Moroi were there, but mostly dhampirs. Too bad, I'll just go back later.

As I was walking out the door, and down the path, I saw Eddie. Shit. His leg was pretty badly messed up, and I could see the pain on his face. "Rose!" He called out hoarsely.

"Oh my god…" I trailed off. I ran back inside and got another guardian, who helped me pick up Eddie and carry him back inside and onto one of the beds that was quickly made available. Once we set him down, and everyone else had left, the doctor to get the tests, and the nurses to help others, I put my hands over my eyes and leaned on my elbows. "Eddie, how come no one found you until then?"

"Um…" He seemed not able to explain. "I-I don't really know. I can't remember anything. I stood up and crossed over to him, quickly checking his major viens for signs of being bitten. There it was. The answer had been right in front of me. There was a big bloody wound in the crook of his arm. I shuddered as the remembrance of what it felt like to be bitten hit me.

"They always go after you don't they?" I asked softly.

"Yeah." Was all he got to say before I was directed out and to a nurse to bandage me up. She wrapped an ace bandage around my ankle, gave me a brace for my wrist, and cleaned all of my cuts. I knew I couldn't hide these from Adrian for too long, but I could try.

Adrian found me right as I was coming out the doors. "Need a feeder?" I guessed. He nodded, lacing his fingers through mine and leading me to the feeder's room. "What does blood taste like?"

"Um… blood?" He answered, bending over the feeder's neck and drinking. He came up and licked his lips. "Copper."

"Can't they flavor it?"

He laughed. "No they can't." He paused. "But that would be pretty cool."

Adrian and I were kissing on his bed within the next ten minutes. He lips trailed down to my neck, where he lightly kissed the scars that his feeding earlier had left. My shirt was long gone, and I was surprised he hadn't seen any of the damage inflicted on me from the fight. Well he had noticed the wrist brace, but I had convinced him to leave it. There should have been bruises all down my stomach and back, and cuts along my back from where another guardian's stake had grazed my skin. I guess he wasn't paying attention. My hand automatically felt around to see if the cuts were there, and that got his attention.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Nothing." I tried to bring my lips to his again.

"Rose let me see." He moved my hands and examined it. "You know this could have made you really sick?" He asked.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"This is going to get infected." He placed his hands on the cuts that still stung, and they disappeared. "I don't know if this will get it out of your blood."

"When did you get all smart?"

"My friends dad was a doctor." Was all he said before he kissed me again, passionately.

I knew Adrian could get protective of me, and would react badly if I kept these things from him, but I didn't want the darkness building up in him. He didn't have much of a way to get it out other than the drinking, which he had been doing much less of, and the smoking, which he knew I hated.

I pushed him up and slightly away. "Adrian." I started. "I don't want you healing me as much as you do. You know what it does to Lissa, and to me." I paused. "I'm willing to do a lot of things to get you stop healing me, at least as much as you do."

"Rose, I'm just worried about you, like what if you won't heal?"

"I always heal, it's in my genes. And you have to listen to me Adrian, please?" He seemed unsure. "No kissing until you agree not to heal me unless I ask you to."

He rolled on top of me, in one swift motion planting his lips on top of mine. I rolled him back over and pulled away. "I mean it."

The look on his face was _priceless_. His mouth was open, the look in his eyes pure shock, as if he didn't believe I would do this to him.

I got up close to him, my lips barely a millimeter away from his. "All you have to do is say yes." I whispered.

"Fine, you win." He kissed me quickly.

He pulled back and he grinned one of those grins that said 'Aren't you lucky'. His lips were on mine again then, kissing me with all he had. There was a knock on the door. "Damn." We said in unison.

I grabbed my shirt from the floor and pulled it over my head. He tried to smooth the covers before answering the door. We were both smiling really fake smiles.

"You know you are really bad liars, right?" I knew that voice. A voice I hadn't heard since camp several years ago.

"Sydney?"


	25. Chapter 24

**TUESDAY! CAN'T WAIT!**

**Chapter 24**

"Sydney, why are you here?"

Adrian's arm around my waist tightened as Sydney fiddled with the cross around her neck. "I was assigned. That's all you should know." I stepped backward, and she came inside.

"Wait… what?" I asked as Adrian left me to go get a drink for the living room.

"I thought it was obvious that I knew at summer camp." She said softly. "Because I do. They don't usually tell you about people like me, humans who know the secret, but I'm an alchemist."

Sydney didn't explain much. But as she talked, I picked up she seemed not to like Adrian that much. She was wearing a yellow and white flowered skirt, a t-shirt, and a white cardigan. I did remember that about her, how she always dressed nicely.

"Adrian, this is Sydney. We met at summer camp a few years ago." He nodded, and sipped from his glass.

Sydney's shot me a confused look. "Boyfriend." I explained.

"Fiancée." He corrected from the couch. I blushed, and Sydney raised her eyebrows.

"I forgot; the reason I came here was to tell you that school will be starting as planned again tomorrow."

"It's not really school. They just need to occupy us until graduation."

"Well tomorrow is field day." You might think that it was stupid, and it was… but some parts of field day were fun. They split the whole school, Moroi and Dhampir into two teams, red and white. Lissa and I were on red, and pretty much all of our other friends, except Eddie, were on white. One of the only parts anyone liked was the tug of war. The tug of war was red against white, then by color for each grade, and then the top students against the teachers and guardians. "I'm supposed to tell him," She said, gesturing to Adrian, "that he's on red, and I'm on white."

"Well I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye!" I closed the door behind her, to find Adrian behind me.

"Isn't she human?" He asked.

"Yes. Yes she is."

"She doesn't seem to like me."

"She's kind of wary near all vampires. I guess that's why she didn't like Lissa. She was never really nice to me either. She didn't talk to us much at camp." I stared after her.

"Rose." He said. "Rose?"

"What?" I kept staring at the door, somehow unable to look away, lost in the memory of those few weeks at camp.

"Look at me Rose." I snapped out of it when he grabbed my arm, forcing me to look at him. His green eyes gazed into mine with such intensity, I got lost again.

This year, they put a twist on field day. The team with the most team spirit didn't have to go to the day of school the day before graduation. So of course, Lissa had about fifteen girls in her room, and Adrian, all waiting to have their hair sprayed red. We each had a can of red hair spray, trying to spray as many people has we could. The room was filled with red, red clothes, hair, and someone wearing a red cape. That was a little over the top, but if we won I wouldn't complain.

Lissa had her ipod speakers on full blast, playing '4ever' by The Veronicas. Lissa and I were singing along. "Come on baby we ain't gonna live forever, let me show, you all the things that we could do, you know you wanna be together, And I wanna spend the night with you." I looked pointedly at Adrian, and he grinned.

"Liss." I called to the other side of the room. "I'm gonna go spray the boys' hair." She nodded. "I'll meet you in a couple minutes." I grabbed Adrian's hand, two more bottles of hair spray and left. Adrian was wearing a red shirt, and jeans. I'd written 'Rose' in his hair with the spray. He didn't really know that, because you couldn't see it in the mirror. I had on red short-shorts, a dark red polo, and my maroon converse. There was bright red lipstick on my lips, courtesy of Lissa, and I had sprayed only the tips of my dark hair so it faded from dark brown to bright red. It was out of the ponytail, waving down my back.

"Rose slow down!" Adrian said. I realized I was pulling him along. I did, and he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close and kissing the top of my head. "A little excited aren't we?"

"A little." I admitted. "But really, who wouldn't want to beat Kirova at tug-of-war?"

He laughed, and held the door into the boy's dormitories for me. About ten guys jumped out of their rooms, spraying Adrian and me with red silly string. "OH MY GOD!" I screamed, trying to hide behind Adrian.

"Stop!" I heard Eddie call. "They're with us."

"Why are you so competitive." I asked no one in particular"." Anyway, I'm here to spray your hair."

"Why?" Someone asked.

"Because." I started, 'The girls want this extra day to do whatever we want. If we don't win, all of the girls will be really pissed. At you. Do you want a bunch of girls screaming at you?"

"No." Luke said, almost like he hadn't realized he was saying it.

Scott and Luke both stepped up to get their hair sprayed. "This takes courage." I pointed out. "I guess none of you have any."

Within twenty minutes, all of the boys had their hair painted red, and some had weird things drawn on their heads, by request.

LISSA'S POV

Where was she? She had left thirty minutes ago, and we really needed to go. Finally, I heard the door open, and saw her come down the hall, laughing. It was one of those things, Rose's laughter, that when you watched her, you couldn't help but smile too. She twirled, holding Adrian's hand above her, her hair flowing behind her. Pretty much all of the boys on the red team followed her. She seemed to have the same effect on everybody. They couldn't help but smile. Adrian was laughing with her, his eyes on her. "Hey Lissa!" She called, breaking my train of thought. I grinned wider at her. "Lets go!" And we did.


	26. Chapter 25

**Sorry this took so long! I've been really busy. Thanks to all of my reviewers. You make me smile every time I read the reviews. 107! That's the most I've ever had on any story! Thanks for staying with this story! For the people who want more romance drama: Don't worry, its coming… eventually. I'm having fun with this right now, and I'm playing around with other things too. **

**Chapter 25**

"Luke! I know you can run faster than that. You're a guardian, so move your ass!" He didn't seem to go faster.

He finally got back with the empty sponge, tossing it to the small Moroi girl who was next in line. She seemed to cower away from him. I couldn't help but laugh. She filled the sponge with water and ran to the pitcher, she passed it off to me when she got back.

I know, stupid game right. But it's a lot of fun because you have an excuse to spray people with a hose. I handed the sponge off to some freshman, and she ran. "Our bucket is almost out of water." I said. I grabbed the hose to refill it.

I twisted the knob, and whoops! The hose sprayed all over Adrian, who was watching and laughing as people slipped in the mud, and Lissa, who was trying to encourage them. They both turned their glares on me. Adrian ran over and grabbed the hose out of my hands, Lissa right behind him. He sprayed me, and I tried to pull Lissa in front of me. We were all cracking up at this point, and had attracted the stares of several lower school kids. Lissa grabbed the hose and sprayed Adrian, who pulled me close and pressed his lips to mine.

"Hathaway! Ivashkov!" I heard Alberta yell. I turned, expecting to be yelled at for kissing Adrian in public. Adrian didn't move his arm from around my waist as I turned slightly to see her. "Congrats." She smiled knowingly. The wedding. Sydney must have told. I pulled my hand with the ring into my chest, trying to hide it.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "She's not supposed to know." I hissed to Adrian.

He rubbed my back soothingly. "It'll be fine." He murmured.

Alberta got up to us, and pulled my hand toward her, gesturing to the ring. "On your engagement." She admired the ring. "It's beautiful."

"Thanks." I replied, confused at how she was so calm about this. Most people would be astounded. Royal Moroi and Dampirs never got married. Well almost never.

Alberta was suddenly distracted. "Zeklos!" About twenty people looked over. "Jesse!" She clarified. "Stop harassing Meredith!" She ran off to control them.

"Ok." Dimitri stood in front of the whole school with a bullhorn. "It is time for the tug of war." Everyone cheered. The sound was deafening. "First up…" Dimitri looked down at his clipboard, "we have the seniors, red against white." He looked back up, and I could see his eyes focus on me. My clothes were wet, causing them to cling to my body, and my hair was down, in the way I knew he loved. I pushed my hair back from my face, giving him an obvious look at my ring glinting in the sun. His face turned, if possible, more stony and stoic. I grabbed Adrian's hand and pulled him after me and toward the rope that several people were already crowding around.

We all grabbed the rope, and soon we were tugging against the white team. Adrian and I both had the end and were pulling really hard. With a sudden lurch, I fell backward and onto the ground. We pulled the rope far from the few people on the white team remaining. Yes! We won! The whole red team erupted in cheers.

A little while later, Kirova announced the students who would be against the teachers and guardians. "The top students are Rose Hathaway, Edison Castile, Vasilisa Dragomir…" She listed about thirty-five more names from all of the grades.

A Moroi teacher who was not opposing us called the start and we started pulling. The Rope bit into my hands, but I kept pulling. A little discomfort wasn't too bad. The Moroi weren't doing too well though. "Come on guys! We can do this!" Someone yelled. Lissa's hands slipped a little, but she quickly regained her grip and we continued backward slowly. Dimitri. All I could see in my head was Dimitri. I needed to beat him. I pulled with everything I had, and we started to move backward. Everyone wanted to beat the teachers who had handed out punishments, severe assignments or who were just plain annoying. And before I knew it, several of the teachers had lost their grip and let go of the rope. We pulled harder. And it was over. We won.

Ten minutes later, Adrian, Lissa, Christian, Eddie, and I all sat in the middle of the field together while the teachers counted up the results. "Good job everyone!" Kirova said. "The results were very close." She went on for a while, but finally got to it. "The scores for spirit and the game have been combined for a total score. The winning team is excused from classes tomorrow. The white team has 347 points, and the red team has…" She paused for a moment. "369 points!"

"Rose." Adrian moaned into my lips. "Oh god, Rose." His hands ran through my hair and across the back of my neck, feeling the tattoos that marked the skin there.

This felt so right. I could stay with him forever. He pulled up for air, and I saw his eyes rack over my body. It seemed like the only words he could form were what he said next. "I love you." I traced his muscles down to his waist, where I unbuttoned his jeans and pulled them down. My hands skirted around his boxers, not touching anything he wanted me to, but kissing his chest. He rolled so that I was under him. "Tease." He murmured, doing the same thing back to me. He pinned my arms behind my back somehow and his hands caressed my thighs, stomach, and legs, not giving me anything I wanted.

"Oh come on Adrian!" I said, frustrated at his slow pace. He kissed his way up to my mouth, still not touching any part of me that would ease the feeling of _wanting_ inside me.

"Patience is a virtue." He said softly, kissing me again before I could respond.

"You know I'm not patient." H whispered to him.

"That's one of the things I love about you." He kissed me again, and I knew that there wasn't any teasing anymore.

**Ok, so if you like Adrian and Rose together I really hope you vote in my poll for the sequel, because they might break up if the majority of people want it. So review, then vote!**


	27. Chapter 26

**Ok, so I'm bored. Like I've resorted to watching I've decided that I'm writing another chapter! THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER!**

**Chapter 26**

"What are we doing today?" Eddie asked everyone at breakfast.

Lissa stared at me. "Shopping." We said together. We looked at Adrian expectantly.

"Fine." He sighed. "I can try and get some guardians to come with us."

I grinned and kissed him quickly on the lips, then leaned in to whisper, "I really need to go to Victoria's Secret… You can help me pick out something…" I trailed off.

"I can _definitely_ get someone to come." He corrected himself.

About an hour later, a van was ready and Lissa, Christian, Eddie, Adrian and I were getting on, along with Alberta. Eddie and I were guardians now, and would be receiving our promise marks in a few days, so we only needed one more Guardian. Because Alberta was more experienced, she would sit in the back in case of an attack while we were in the van. I got to drive, which made Lissa a little nervous.

"Oh come on Lissa! It was once, years ago!"

"I'm fine." She assured me, but I could still sense some apprehension.

The drive to the mall was uneventful, except for Lissa freaking out when I swerved to avoid a deer in the middle of the road. "Shh, baby its alright." Christian whispered to her, smoothing her hair back into place.

"Sorry Liss, but you'd be even more upset if I hit it." She nodded silently and we made our way to the mall. Once we got there, Eddie and I got out to scout the mall quickly. Once we were fairly certain it was clear (it was light out, we didn't have to be absolutely certain), we split up to go to different stores. I was assigned to Adrian, Eddie to Christian, and Alberta to Lissa. So Eddie, Christian, Alberta, and Lissa all went to Macys, and Adrian and I went to Victoria's Secret.

We walked down the mall together, holding hands. God, it was hard to pay attention. I was his guardian right now. But he refused to stop treating me like his fiancée.

We walked into the store together and I was overwhelmed by pink. The walls were pink polka dot and all of the display tables were pink. Adrian was temporarily distracted by some of the pictures of models in lingerie on the walls. I shot him a glare, and he wrapped his arm around my waist and bent down to whisper in my ear. He seemed to think about it, and then changed his mind. "I'll tell you about it later."

I grabbed a few regular bras, and then moved into the area with the sexier lingerie. I saw some satin, a lot of lace, and really skimpy stuff I was sure I would look pretty good in. I grabbed a several things, and then led Adrian to the dressing rooms. "It's against their policy to let you in my dressing room." I said to him. He was all over it.

"We need a dressing room." He said to the attendant. Conveniently, there wasn't anyone else here.

"I'm sorry, sir, I-" Her eyes glazed over as the compulsion hit.

"I'm allowed to go in, correct?"

"Of course."

"And you won't remember any of this?"

"No I won't, sir."

"Perfect." She opened a room and we both slipped in.

"Close your eyes." I ordered Adrian as I pushed him into a chair next to the mirror. I changed into the first set of lingerie, a black, lace-up corset with edging at the top, which barely covered my boobs, and at the bottom. I laced it up tight, making my boobs look bigger. The bottom piece was a black thong with a little lace up part in the front. I grabbed another thong that I had grabbed and wrapped it around his wrists, securing them behind his back. I placed one leg between his, and the other on the arm of the chair. "You can look now Adrian." I whispered.

He did, and shock, then lust crossed his face. He started to try to break free of his 'binding'. "Nope. No touching. This is your punishment for yesterday." I swayed my hips and slowly ran my hands down my body, from my boobs down my torso, across my ass and down my thighs. The agony in Adrian's eyes was almost comical.

"Please?" He begged, breathing heavily.

I shook my head. "Patience is a virtue." I quoted him, smiling my man-eating smile. I moved forward towards him, swaying my hips and letting my hair fall into my face. I brushed my lips against his, holding there and breathing heavy for a moment, then leaned over him so that my boobs were right in his face. His control slipped, and he tried desperately to break free. I had tied the thong really tight though, and he couldn't.

"Rose." He moaned.

"Nope." I said, kissing his neck. I turned around and began to rub my butt into his lap, but not applying any pressure. Finally, I put the lightest amount of pressure on his lap. Just the slightest touch, but he was now completely filled with lust. I brought my lips to his, softly. By now, he was groaning in desire.

"Please. Please Rose, you're driving me crazy." I run my hands through my hair, just smiling. I felt his reaction under me, and grin wider. He sighed in frustration and again tried to free himself from his bindings. I press my boobs against his chest and look him straight in the eyes. "I love you Rose." He manages to pant out, "Please? Please untie it."

"And what will I get out of it?"

"Anything you want." He whispers. "What do you want?" His green eyes are filled with lust I know only I can bring out in him.

I reached around and untied the thong, his hands wrapping around me and caressing every part of me. The desire and passion was running through me, but I managed an answer. "You."


	28. Chapter 27

**This is the last chapter! :( I will start the sequel as soon as possible, so make sure you look out for that. Please review, and make sure to vote in my poll (which will be ending soon). I made a playlist for those of you who like the musical part of my writing. Here are the best songs on it. Forever-Chris Brown, Not Myself Tonight-Christina Aguilera, All I Wanted-Paramore, 4ever-The Veronicas, Hero/Heroine-Boys Like Girls, and Stella-All Time Low.**

**Chapter 27**

"Lissa? Lissa where's my hairbrush?"

"Calm down Rose it's right in front of you." She handed me the brush, and I ran it through my hair once more.

My hair was practically perfect. Lissa had straightened the waves it usually had so that it cascaded down my back perfectly straight. We had picked out a black skirt and loose red shirt for under my graduation gown. Lissa had gotten her hair cut in really dramatic layers while we were at the mall, and she had styled it so they came inward towards her face **(Google images 'dramatic layers blonde' –second one)**. She was wearing a yellow flowered skirt with a white button down.

We both put on our shoes- flats for her and wedges for me- and headed out into the hall.

"Hey." Adrian caught up with us, wrapping his arms around me and kissing the top of my head.

"Hair." I said, pulling away. "Don't mess it up." Just for that, he pulled me in for a kiss, running his fingers through my hair before I realized what he was doing. Lissa was laughing, and I shot a glare at her, then at Adrian. "Really?"

Lissa pulled one of those fold-up brushes out of her bag and handed it to me. I ran it through my hair quickly. "Ok. I'm good."

"You're excited." Lissa seemed confused.

"I'm getting my promise mark today. I want to look perfect."

"You already do." Adrian assured me, and I could feel I was starting to blush.

I looked up at Adrian, thinking about how I realized I loved him. A few moments later, I said, "Thank you Adrian.".

"For what?

"For coming up with that plan to make Dimitri jealous."

He grinned and pulled me tight for a moment. "My pleasure."

We got to the gym a few minutes later, and Adrian had to go sit in the audience. "Bye." He said, hugging me and waving to Lissa.

"Hey!" Violet called over to us, and we joined her, April, Luke, Scott, Alex, Connor, Eddie, Christian and Mia.

"I cannot believe we're graduating!" April squealed, and everyone agreed. We all walked over to get our graduation gowns and caps. They were dark blue, and the ones for the dhampirs had a low collar in the back so that they could tattoo our necks easily. Lissa grabbed two hats for us and put mine on top of my head for me, adjusting my hair so it didn't cover my face. I did the same for her, and we looked around. The entire senior class was here, and almost everyone was nervous.

I could pick up some nervousness from Lissa, and she sent me a message through the bond. _Are you feeling alright? No darkness or anything?_

"No." I whispered to her. "The better question would be _are you alright?"_

"I'm fine." She lied, but I could feel the anxiety that I had mistaken for nervousness earlier. The anxiety that came with the darkness. And it was pretty bad. How had I not noticed this until twenty minutes before the ceremony? I guess I was too distracted.

My mind automatically started to come up with possible plans on how to get the darkness out of her. She could send it to me, obviously, but I wasn't sure the effects would wear off in time for the ceremony. The only thing that was important here was that I got my promise mark, and that wasn't until the end of the ceremony. "Give it to me." I said, and held out my hands toward her. I felt her hesitate.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

She still seemed hesitant but she took my hands and sent the darkness into me. All the rage I had ever felt rushed into me, and the sane part of me was glad that everyone else had left the area. Lissa looked panicked when she saw the emotions, but she looked fine. She ran off quickly, trying to find someone to help.

The emotions were overwhelming, so much in fact that I barely noticed when Adrian came up and put his hands on my shoulders. "Rose." He said, looking into my eyes. The rage filled me, but I didn't have anyone to direct it to, unlike other times that Lissa's darkness had filled me, so I couldn't concentrate on any one thing, let alone him. "Rose listen to me. It's all in your head, you'll be fine." Lissa stood behind him, scared, but for herself or for me I wasn't sure. Probably both.

Suddenly, she spoke. "Heal her." Was all she said, her voice soft but still firm. Adrian got it. His hands grabbed mine, intertwining our fingers. I started to fight against him, but then I felt his magic flow through me. Lissa's darkness was mostly gone, the rage being replaced by mere annoyance at my own stupidity and the fait hum of the darkness. Lissa's hand was on Adrian's back, taking some of the darkness from him so it was all equally distributed between us. It was manageable, for now. We could all burn it off after the ceremony.

Realizing how much darkness she had had, I quickly pulled up her sleeves to find two neat cuts starting to heal on her wrists. "Lissa, why didn't you tell me?" I asked her, but didn't give her time to answer. "You didn't seem very bad."

"I'm better at controlling it now. Much better than you are apparently…" Her face showed a hint of a smile.

"Princess! Hathaway!" Alberta called over to us. "What are you doing standing around? We're about to start!"

Lissa and I ran to take our seats, and the ceremony began soon after.

"I would like to thank you all for coming to see our senior class graduate." Kirova started. She started her long speech, and I didn't pay attention when the valedictiorian got up and gave their speech. I ouly started to listen when she started to give out our diplomas. "Vasilisa Dragomir." She called, and we all cheered. A few minutes passed,but she everntually called my name. "Rosemarie Hathaway." I took my diploma and looked out towards the audience. Adrian was grinning, and next to him were my parents. MY PARENTS? I hadn't known wither one of them were coming. And I hadn't expected my dad to come at all. Soon enough, Kirova announced that the dhampirs would be getting their promise marks, starting with the best grade on the final. Surprisingly, I was the first person called. I looked over all of my friends and family, knowing they were there for me. Lissa was smiling her warm smile, and I didn't need the bond to hear the 'I told you you're awesome!'. My parents were smiling, and they looked at each other. They weren't the easiest parents to have, but they were mine. My eyes settled on Adrian, and his eyes were filled with happiness and love for me. He grinned when he caught my eyes, and mouthed 'I love you'. I stepped forward to get my promise mark, and smiled through the pain.

**Dedications: This is dedicated to my best friends, who I know hate everything Vampire Academy and Twilight, but I want to dedicate it to them anyway, because they are amazing. I love you guys! And I also want to dedicate this story to the one person who pisses me off most. I am mentioning her because well… she is the reason the emotions in some of the chapters seem so real. Lets put it this way: If I was Rose, and I got the darkness from Lissa… I'd be trying to kill her. So thanks! And finally, I want to dedicate this my wonderful readers. Thanks everyone! **


	29. ANThanks for Reading

Hi Everyone! This is just a A/N to let you know that the sequel is up. It is called Falling Slowly (like the song on the _Once_ CD). Both of these stories are songs I love. This person on youtube really explains it well: "If I were to die this very moment, I would die with a smile on my face - this song alone is capable of making life worth living."

It's a beautiful song, and I named my story after it.

Thanks for reading, you make me smile every day:

BCWUW4


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